People Change
by luckyj525
Summary: Literati and Java Junkie. Other characters will include Lane, Dave, Paris, Babette, Dean, Miss Patty, Kirk, Mama Kim, Taylor, Emily, Richard, Sookie, Jackson, Chris, Sherry, baby GiGi, and a new character, an old lady named Maggie.
1. Introduction

**People Change**

**_By: Apolla_******

****

**_Author's Note:_**

All right, let me explain so that this doesn't confuse anyone. This story is called **People Change**.

**People Change** takes place in the third season. This story takes place a month after episode **3.10 - That'll Do, Pig**. **That'll Do, Pig** is the last episode that has happened; after that, it's all me. None of the episodes **3.11** through **3.22** will ever occur in this story, although I may take some ideas from them; i.e., Sookie getting pregnant or Fran dying so the Dragonfly becomes available.

In case you have forgotten, here are the main things that happened in **That'll Do, Pig**:

Lorelai lets Lane's band practice in her garage.

Paris spends more time with Jamie (remember, Jamie told Paris that he loved her!)

Rory wants Jess to go to the Winter Carnival with her but he says no. Jess says he doesn't have to go stupid things anymore because he's not trying to get her anymore – he has her.

Dean and Rory go and get a cup of coffee together and agree to be friends.

Trix, Richard's mother, comes back to town with the news that she's moving from England and will be living in Hartford. Emily's not pleased, as she and Trix don't get along. Lorelai teaches Emily how to annoy Trix and find it amusing at the same time.

Jess and Rory run into Dean and his little sister Clara. Clara invites Rory to come to the carnival with her and Dean, and then Jess suddenly decides that he'll go to the carnival after all (_hmmm, LoL, why the sudden change of mind, do you think?_).

Jess asks Rory why she didn't tell him that she and Dean were so buddy-buddy again, but insists he's fine with it.

Jess and Dean have a little talk. Jess tells Dean he knows what he's doing and that it's pathetic, but Dean tells Jess that when Jess and Rory were just friends, look how it turned out for them. Maybe it'll work out for him, too.

And now, the last lines of **That'll Do, Pig**:

LORELAI: How'd it finally end with Cheech and Chong?

RORY: Jess knows I'm friends with Dean, Dean knows I'm dating Jess, and they both seem fine with it. What?

LORELAI: I just like that once in awhile, you still seem like a little kid.

RORY: They do, I swear.

LORELAI: Let's just watch the snow.

THE END

**_And now…………without further ado, we shall move into my version of the rest of Season Three!_**

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	2. Gotta Stop Those Huh's

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****One month after That'll Do, Pig, so it's late January/early February.**

********************************************************************************

            Lorelai heard a door slam. _Oh, no, not again_, she thought. "Rory, that you?" she called.

            "Yeah!" Rory called back.

            Lorelai came downstairs and saw Rory sitting on the couch. She flopped down next to her. "So, you know what I've been thinking?"

            There was a pause, until Rory finally replied, "What?" 

            "Forget Harvard and go to beauty school! Just think about it. You could learn how to do hair and nails and makeup, so you could help me get ready for dates. And you could work in one of those gossipy beauty parlors and chew gum and start talking with a Brooklyn accent and then I could come to New York and live with you and we could be, like, these two crazy old ladies who have great hair and nails and too much drag makeup on and we could get a bunch of cats and - "

            "Mom!"

            "Rory, just think about it. We could be like Frenchie!"

            "Beauty school dropout, go back to high school," Rory told Lorelai.

            "You know, it just doesn't sound like too much fun when you say it like that. You've got to sing it, baby! Put some emotion into it!"

            Lorelai took a big breath and opened her mouth to start singing at the top of her lungs when Rory clapped a hand over her mouth. "Mom, please."

            "You're way too Sandy Dee."

She paused, but Rory still didn't say anything. "Okay, I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" Lorelai asked, turning serious.

            "What is there to talk about? He always does this."

            Rory and Jess had been going out for a few months now and Rory didn't know what had gone wrong. Whenever she saw Jess, she knew he was glad to see her. He tried to hide it and act all cool, but she saw the way he looked at her.

            But lately he wouldn't call her when he said he would. He'd break their dates for no real reason. Rory was tired of it, but she still liked him. She still wanted their relationship to work.

            "Maybe it's just a phase. I mean, every relationship is different, right? So what if I didn't go through this with Dean. Maybe this is just phase one of my relationship with Jess. Or maybe - "

            Lorelai put her hands on Rory's shoulders. "Honey, stop making excuses for him! He's being a jerk and you need to face that. Everyone sees it except you, but baby, you've gotta take off the blindfold. Jess is - "

            "Mom, stop!" Rory said, growing angry. "Do you know how hard you're making this for me? You've never liked Jess, and you won't be happy until we break up. Maybe that's what the problem is - no one will give us a chance, including you! Everyone's just so convinced that we're wrong for each other!"

            Ignoring the hurt look on Lorelai' face, Rory jumped up, grabbed her jacket, and did what she did best - she ran. She ran out the door, down the street, until she finally ended up at the bridge.

            _It figures I'd end up here, Rory thought. She had been coming to the bridge more and more lately. It was her and Jess' special spot._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Lorelai made her way to Luke's after Rory left. _You shouldn't have jumped all over him like that_, she chastised herself. _At least not in front of Rory. _

            Lorelai sighed, sitting down at the counter. She was glad to see that the diner was empty - she didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment, which was strange, especially for her. 

            "Coffee?" Luke asked.

            "Mmm."

            _When Rory comes home, I'll apologize to her…………but I meant what I said! Jess is no good for her. He treats her horribly, and then she still stands up for him! Have I taught her nothing? I thought she had enough sense to stand up for herself, not to let a guy treat her like dirt._

"Lorelai?" Luke's voice interrupted her thoughts.

            "Hmm?"

            She looked down and took a sip of her coffee. "Oh, thanks," she said.

            "You okay?"

            Lorelai sighed. "Rory and I had a fight," she told him miserably.

            _Ah, well, to hell with not talking to anyone, she thought._

            "About what?"

            "Um - "

            Lorelai wasn't sure how to answer. She didn't want to insult Luke or anything. The last time she had blown up at him about Jess, they hadn't talked for months.

            At that moment, Jess came down the stairs. Lorelai saw his eyes move from her to the empty seat next to her - he obviously expected to see Rory sitting next to her. 

            "Looking for someone?" Lorelai asked him sarcastically.

            "Nope," Jess replied.

            "Good. Because right now I think she's really upset with you. And I'm upset with you, too."

            "Huh."

            "Yes. Rory and I just had a really big fight because of you."

            "Huh."

            "Can't you say anything else?"

            "Hmm."

            "Ooooh! You know what, you're impossible! Do you care about anyone? I mean it, do you? Rory's the only one here who even likes you, and you treat her like dirt! You made her relationship with Dean extremely tense and difficult, and when they finally break up and you two get together, you break dates and never call her! What's the point, Jess? Is it all just a game? Something to amuse you in this small town? You're messing with people's feelings, diner boy, and it needs to stop."

            Jess didn't say a word, he didn't even move. Lorelai downed the rest of her coffee, then stormed out. "Thanks for the coffee, Luke," she called over her shoulder.

            Luke turned to Jess angrily after Lorelai had left. "Jess - " he started.

            "I don't wanna hear it."

            "Well, that's just too bad, because I have some things to say to you!"

            "I'm going out!"

            "No you're not, damn it, you're staying right here!"

            He stood in front of the door, blocking Jess' exit, and started speaking in a would-be rational tone. "Jess, I'm not against your and Rory's relationship, really, I'm not. But Lorelai's right. You can't just mess around with her head, Jess. This isn't a game, and - "

            "Damn it, Luke, I know that!" Jess yelled.

            "Then what the hell are you doing?" Luke yelled back.

            "I don't know! I've never done this before!"

            "Never done what, treated a girl like dirt?"

"No, I've never cared for - " Jess started to talk quietly, but Luke kept yelling, totally oblivious to the fact that Jess had even said anything.

"Oh, I'm sure you have, Jess. Remember Shane?"

            "Rory is _nothing_ like Shane!" 

            "I know!" Luke said, exasperated. 

            "Then what the hell are you saying?"

            "I'm saying that you're treating Rory the same way you treated Shane, Jess. Either shape up or let her go."

            "Get out of my way," Jess said quietly.

            Luke didn't move. "Damn it, Luke, get the hell out of my way!" Jess exploded.

            "Think about what I said, Jess," Luke said in a calm tone once again, then walked back behind the counter.

            Jess quickly left, pulling on his jacket and not saying a word. He had to - he had to think, he had to - he pulled out a cigarette as he walked. This would help him relax. He lit it and inhaled sharply as he approached the bridge. 

He slowly exhaled. Nothing was more relaxing than looking out onto the water with a good smoke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Rory?" Lorelai called out as she entered her home.

            "Kitchen!"

            Lorelai sat down next to Rory at the kitchen table. They both started talking at the same time.

            "Mom, I - "

            "Rory, I - "

            They stopped and looked at each other. Rory's eyes filled with tears, and Lorelai felt her own eyes getting wet. Lorelai opened her arms and they hugged. "I'm sorry, baby," Lorelai said. "I didn't mean to upset you."

            "I know, Mom. I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was just - I still like him, you know? I still want us to work."

            Lorelai pulled away from Rory and put her hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eyes. "Rory, if you want this to work, then you have to have a long talk with Jess. You have to let him know that you're not going to take this."

            "Wait…….you're encouraging me to make up with Jess?"

            "I'm encouraging you to stand up for yourself to him."

            "I know, I know," Rory said, nodding her head. "I made a list of stuff I have to talk to him about. And if he doesn't want to make it work, then, well - " Rory stopped. "Mom, where did you go?" she asked.

            "Um, what are you talking about? I'm right here," Lorelai said, getting up to make some coffee.

            "I mean before."

            "Oh, well, you know, I needed some coffee, so I went to Luke's, and I got some coffee, and I talked, and then I came home."

            "You talked to Luke?"

            "Oh, well, uh, yes, I did talk to Luke."

            "Mom………….."

            "Oh, all right! Yes, I yelled at Jess. I wasn't planning on it, but then he just came down the stairs and - and he was doing the 'huh' thing, and I just lost it!"

            "What did you say?"

            "Um, I don't know, something about him not caring about anyone and telling him that he had to stop playing games with people's emotions."

            "Oh."

            "Sweetie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, but you know how he is! And I still didn't get a word out of him. Are you sure he talks? Maybe he doesn't talk. Maybe he's like that movie with the guy who heard everything people said because they thought he was mute so he wouldn't tell anybody, but then they found out that he really could talk, so then they wanted to kill him because they thought he would tell all of their secrets and - "

            "It's okay, Mom, I'm not mad."

            "Oh. 'Kay."

            "I'm going to go and try to find him and talk to him, okay?"

            "Be back soon?"

            "Yes. We'll order a pizza."

            "Okay. See you soon."

            "Okay."

            Neither Rory nor Lorelai moved, and then they ran to each other and hugged. "It'll be okay," Lorelai said.

            "I know."

            "Don't stop until you get what you want……oooh, dirty!"

            "Mom!"

            "Okay. Come back soon."

            "I will."

            "Okay."

            "Okay."

            "Did I tell you I gave Jess a new nickname?" Lorelai blurted out.

            "You did?" Rory asked with slight smile.

            "Diner boy."

            Rory giggled. "Real original."

            Lorelai pouted. "Well, it was in the heat of the moment. Are you saying that it's not a good nickname?"

            "It's not your best."

            "Fine. Then hurry up and talk to him and come home and tell me what's going on with you two so that I can make up an appropriate nickname. This one will knock your socks off, baby!"

            "Okay. 'Bye Mom."

            "'Bye."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Rory went to the bridge and found Jess just standing there, smoking. "I thought you quit," Rory said.

            Jess threw his cigarette into the water, then turned around to face Rory. "I did."

            "Oh."

            _God, she looks so beautiful. I don't deserve her. She's probably here to break up with me. It's ok, though. She can move on to someone better, Jess thought._

            "Jess, I - we need to talk," Rory said slowly.

            Her thoughts were spinning a mile a minute. _What if he wants to break up? I don't want to break up with him. Maybe he wants it, though. Maybe that's why he's acting like this - oh my God, he wants to break up._

            "Well?" Jess finally said after there was a long silence.

            He startled Rory out of her thoughts. "Oh, right, well, um………… Jess, I think we need to - "

            "It's okay," Jess said, interrupting her.

            He didn't want to hear her say it. He knew why she was breaking up with him -because he had acted like a jerk. He didn't know why he had acted like that, especially with her. He just couldn't let down the walls he had built around himself - she had already gotten through too many of them. He didn't want to let himself become vulnerable. 

            "Jess?" Rory asked, confused.

            _Why was he walking away from her? she wondered. Then it hit her. Jess had thought she was breaking up with him. _

            "Jess, wait!" she called, running after him.

            He stopped, and she caught up to him. "Jess, you need to listen to what I have to say."

            "Rory, I know what you're going to say. Look, I said it was okay."

            Rory felt herself getting frustrated. This is what always happened! "No, Jess, I have to tell you something! I'm not - "

            "Rory! I said it was fine, just go."

            "No! Jess, why do you always do this? I'm not breaking up with you."

            He didn't say anything and just stood there, waiting for her to continue speaking. "This is our problem, Jess! We don't communicate. We talk about books and music or we make out. That's not the foundation of a good relationship! I mean, not that our discussions are bad, and the making out isn't bad either - I mean - it's good, but we shouldn't - I mean, we should be, because we're boyfriend and girlfriend, but I mean, we shouldn't just be doing that, we should talk. We never just talk. I mean, we talk about books and music but we never just, you know, talk. And I think that - "

            "Rory? You're rambling," Jess said with a hint of a smile.

            "Sorry."

            She stopped, took a deep breath, and waited for Jess to say something. "I get what you're saying. But I'm definitely not good with the whole 'let's tell each other our feelings' thing. I must have missed that day in kindergarten."

            Rory gave him a small smile. "I know, it's not really you. But Jess, it's just, we…….I never even know when you're mad at me. When we fight, we both avoid each other and then think that the other wants to break up. If we, you know, talked, I think this could be avoided."

            Jess didn't say anything, so Rory continued. "Look, I'm not saying we're going to sit down after school every day and have some big heart-to-heart over a tub of ice cream, but - "

            "Because that's just, like, so you and Lorelai's thing," Jess couldn't resist adding.

            Rory grinned and playfully smacked him on the arm. "Hey mister, do not mess with the methods of the Gilmore girls."

            Jess smirked. "Methods?"

            "Whatever works, Dodger."

            Jess took Rory's hand and led her to sit down at the edge of the bridge. They sat down side by side, and Rory continued. "I'm just saying that if, you know, you're thinking or feeling something, you can tell me. Don't hide it from me."

            Jess shrugged. "Okay."

            Rory stared at him. "Okay? _Okay?!_ Jess, if you're agreeing with me, why didn't we talk about this sooner?"

            Jess shrugged again. "Huh. I don't know."

            "Oh, no you don't. Don't go back to those 'huhs'."

            "You've been talking to your mom."

            "Yeah, those huhs drive her crazy."

            Jess smirked. "Good to know."

            "You know, if you make her mad, she's going to come up with another nickname for you."

            "What was wrong with diner boy?"

            "I told her it wasn't very original, so she's going to come up with a new one," Rory told him laughingly.

            Rory turned serious. "Jess, that's something else we have to talk about. My mother is very important to me, and I can't deal with having you two pull me in opposite directions anymore, I just can't."

            "Okay."

            "I'll tell her to be nice to you."

            "Okay."

            "Jess, I - I have to ask you something."

            Rory looked down at her hands and started fidgeting. Jess looked at her in amusement and waited for her to say what was on her mind. "I'm not going to be that girl," Rory finally said.

            "What girl?"

            "That girl whose boyfriend treats her like dirt."

            _Ouch. She's right, though. But how can I explain this? "Yeah, Rory, I treat you like dirt because I'm in love with you and it scares me". Yeah, right. Like I'd ever actually tell her that. I'm just lucky she hasn't broken up with me yet._

"Sorry."

            "Why did you do it?" Rory asked softly. "In the beginning, we were fine. But lately you've been distancing yourself from me."

            She waited for Jess to reply. She could tell he was thinking as he stared out into the water. Finally he shrugged. "It's not always easy to date the town princess," he finally said, not looking at her.

            "I never knew you to be a person who backed down from a challenge," Rory told him with a smirk.

            Jess was glad that she was letting it go. He definitely wasn't one of those talk-about-your-feelings type of guys. Definitely not.

            He turned to look at her. "Are you stealing my smirk?" 

            Rory shrugged. "Huh. Maybe."

            "Oh no, Princess. Those are mine."

            "Princess?" Rory asked.

            "Dodger?" he replied.

            "It suits you!" she said defensively.

            "It suits you!" he said, mimicking her.

            Rory sighed. "You're really hard to talk to," she said, pretending to be mad.

            "I'm sure you can handle it," he replied, leaning forward to kiss her.

            They were still sitting on the bridge, and Rory leaned forward eagerly into his kiss. His mouth on hers was hot and demanding, and Rory gave in, allowing Jess to wrap his arms around her and pull her closer.

            They finally broke apart and Rory rested her forehead against Jess', both of them trying to catch a breath. "Hi," she breathed.

            "Hi."

            Jess looked into her bright blue eyes and felt at peace. He knew it was no good trying to protect himself from her anymore - it was too late, anyway. He was in love with her. Not that he was going to admit it to anyone. But he was.

            "Oh no," Rory said, glancing at her watch.

            "What?"

            "I have to get home. Mom's ordering a pizza."

            "I'll walk you."

            Rory smiled up at him. "Okay."

            Jess put his arm around her as they walked, and Rory liked the feeling of it there. She didn't care anymore about flaunting their relationship. It had been a few months, and if people weren't used to it by now, then that was their problem.

            Rory and Jess were walking in comfortable silence, and Rory looked at Jess out of the corner of her eye. She loved his dark hair that always looked perfectly messy and his dark brown eyes that were the gateway to his soul. Sometimes she felt like she was the only one who could see in. 

            "What are you thinking about?" Jess finally asked, breaking the silence.

            He had felt Rory's eyes on him as they walked, and she looked lost in thought. Rory looked at him, a little embarrassed that he had caught her staring, then replied, "You."

            She gave him a quick peck on the lips. They had reached the Gilmore home, and Rory and Jess were standing in Rory's front yard. "Oh," Jess said, looking pleased with himself.

            "Wipe that look off your face."

            "What look?" Jess asked innocently.

            "The look you have right now, that look that says 'my girlfriend's thinking about me because I'm so cool' look."

            "Oh. Didn't know I had one of those."

            "Oh, believe me, you do."

            "Huh."

            "You know, between the smirks, 'huhs', and that look, I don't know how I put up with you. You're - "

            Jess cupped her chin in his hands, leaned forward, and kissed her. "What was that for?" Rory asked when the finally broke apart.

            "To shut you up."

            "Huh. Maybe I should ramble more often."

            "You should stop saying huh"

            "And why is that?"

            "Because Lorelai will blame me."

            "Well, it is your fault."

            "No it's not."

            "Yes it is. I get my rambling from being around my mom, which must mean I get my huhs from being around you."

            "And you call me impossible?"

            "Oh, you are," Rory assured him.

            "Huh."

            Rory grinned, then gave him peck on the lips. "I'm sure my mom is listening to our entire conversation, so I better go in," Rory said. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

            "Okay. I'll have coffee ready."

            Rory smiled, and then they kissed again. Rory started walking up the porch steps, then stopped and turned around. "'Night Dodger," she said.

            "'Night Princess."

            Rory shook her head, then went inside. "Marco?"

            "Polo!"

            "Marco!"

            "Polo!"

            "Hi," Rory said to her mom as she entered the kitchen. 

            "Hey."

            "Mom, this is twice now that I've come home and you've been in the kitchen. Is something wrong?"

            "Fred's been acting up lately," Lorelai whispered loudly. "I thought that maybe he was acting out, so I've been spending more time with him."

            "Or maybe he's jealous, because you always talk about Luke's coffee in front of him."

            "Sssh! Don't listen to her, Fred," Lorelai said, turning to the coffee pot on the counter. "You're first in my heart."

            "Mom! You've got your fingers crossed behind your back!"

            "Rory! Fred will hear you!"

            "Okay, then I'll leave you and Fred alone. Want me to order the pizza?"

            "Yeah. Get extra pepperoni."

            Rory left the room to find the phone, and she could hear Lorelai talking to the coffee pot. "Fred, it's okay……..she just doesn't understand you like I do……………."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So, what's up with you and James Dean?" Lorelai asked later that night as she and Rory finished off the pizza.

            "That's not too great of a nickname, either."

"I'm working on it, I'm working on it!" Lorelai said with a hurt look.

"But it's better."

"Thank you. So?"

"We're good."

            "Oh."

            "Geez, don't sound so excited."

            "Sorry. Oh!"

            "That's better."

            "Now please, continue."

            "Well, we talked, and I told him I wasn't going to be that girl - "

            "What girl?"

            "That girl whose boyfriend treats her like dirt."

            "Oh, her."

            "Yeah. And we talked for a while, and he's not going to act like that anymore."

            "Just like that?" Lorelai asked skeptically.

            Rory nodded. "Yup."

            "So I have to think of a good nickname for him?"

            "Yes."

            Lorelai sighed. "Are you sure? Because I have so many mean ones."

            "Mom, please be nice to him."

            "Aw, are little Jessie's feelings hurt?"

            "Yes. He's heartbroken."

            "Well, in that case…………"

            "Just be nice."

            "Will he bring me coffee?"

            "I'm not making any promises."

            "Hmmm. I'll have to think about this."

            "You do that, and - "

            All of the sudden the phone rang. "Leave it. What if it's the grandparents?" Lorelai said in mock horror.

            The answering machine picked up, and then came Lorelai's voice, _"Hey, you've reached Thelma and Louise. Leave a message if you want, but we'll only call you back if you're a.) Brad Pitt, b.) a best friend - Lane and Sookie, this is you, c.) Make great coffee and fix our house - Lukey, this is you, or d.) a boyfriend. Do what you want after the beep. Oooooh, dirty!"_

"That's such a great recording, isn't it?" Lorelai asked Rory proudly.

            "It is one of your best," Rory agreed.

            _"Rory? This is Paris. Is that your mom? Because that's a really weird recording, so I figured it was her. I know you're there, Gilmore. Pick up the phone. Come on! Pick up the phone! I'm giving you until the count of three. One - "_

"Stop the madness! Stop it! I can't have Paris' voice in my house! It's echoing! I'm going to have nightmares! Stop, stop!" Lorelai started exclaiming dramatically, rolling back and forth on the floor with her hands over her ears.

            "Mother, please. Don't you think you're being a little too - "

            _"Two - "_

"Oh, all right!"

            Rory went to answer the phone. "Hello?"

            "Finally. What were you - what is that?" Paris asked, hearing Lorelai in the background.

            "My mother. Hang on, I'll go to my room."

            "No, Rory, don't leave me! The voices!" Lorelai called after her as Rory went into her room.

            "Just handle them the way you always do," Rory called back to her.

            She got to her room and closed the door. "Okay Paris, what is it?"

            "I'm just reminding you about the meeting tomorrow."

            "Yes, Paris, I know. Franklin meeting, Monday, right after school. I think I got it."

            "Well, you have a lot of the articles, you know. You have to be there. You know that we're trying to make each edition of the Franklin better than the last."

            "Yes, I know, Paris."

            "Well, I just wanted to make sure - "

            "Listen, Paris, I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow at school."

            "Don't forget tomorrow's Monday, and that's when the meeting is. So you have to bring your articles."

            "Well yes, Paris, since today is Sunday, I assumed that tomorrow would be Monday and we'd have the meeting."

            "Right. So don't forget - "

            "Paris, I'm hanging up now."

            "Don't forget! Tomorrow is - "

            Rory clicked the phone off, then flopped down on her bed. _What a strange day, she thought. __Huh._

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**_Author's Note:_**** I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please review. Don't hold back, be brutally honest. And don't forget to give me your ideas. You never know if I'll use them.**

**_Coming in Chapter 2………. _****We'll be seeing more people! Yay! Lane, Kirk, Taylor, Paris, and more Luke, in addition to Rory, Jess, and Lorelai. Also, a mysterious old lady appears…..she's an original character of mine. Hmm, I wonder who she is? Stay tuned!**


	3. You Can Call Me Maggie

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

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            "Rory! Must. Get. To Luke's."

            "Mom? What's the matter?" Rory asked, coming out of her room the next morning.

            "It's Fred!" Lorelai cried out. "He won't make me coffee!"

            "Oh no! Mom, we always have at least 3 cups of coffee before we go to Luke's."

            "I know. He won't recognize us without it."

            "What do we do?" Rory asked worriedly.

            "Hurry! Hurry! Must get coffee!"

            Rory grabbed her backpack, and she and Lorelai hurried on their way to Luke's.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Jess! Get your ass down here!" Luke yelled.

            Luke sighed as there was no response. _I wonder if Lorelai and Rory will be coming in today_, Luke thought. 

            He didn't know if Jess and Rory had made up, or if Lorelai was still mad at Jess. Sometimes he wondered if maybe he and Jess needed to talk more. _Yeah, right. As if that kid talks._

His questions were answered as Lorelai and Rory ran through the door and up to the counter. "Luke, coffee," Rory gasped out.

            "Aren't you girls in here a little earlier today?" Luke asked from behind the counter.

            "Fred broke! Need coffee!" Lorelai wailed.

            She and Rory collapsed onto stools at the counter. "Are you telling me that you have a whole pot of coffee every day _before_ you come in here?"

            "Mom, just tell him what he wants to hear!" Rory cried.

            "Big eyes. Luke, look at Rory. Isn't she cute? She needs coffee to stay that cute."

            Just then Jess appeared and poured Rory and Lorelai cups of coffee. They both eagerly gulped it down. "More!" Lorelai demanded.

            Rory stuck out her cup wordlessly. Jess looked at them with a smirk and poured them more coffee.

            After re-filling their coffee cups four more times, with Luke glaring at him the whole time, the girls sat up straight. "How do you feel?" Rory asked her mother.

            "Like I am came this close - " Lorelai held her thumb and first finger up, almost touching, " - to dying."

            "You die from having coffee, you don't die from not having it," Luke told them.

            "Lukey, I'm hurt. Did he just say he doesn't care if we die?" Lorelai asked, turning to Rory and Jess.

            Rory nodded with wide eyes. "I heard it," Jess added.

            "Great. So now all three of you are ganging up on me."

            Luke walked off, muttering about crazy people. "You know, I'm worried about Luke," Lorelai began.

            "Me too," Rory chimed in.

            "The first sign of a crazy person is when they start talking to themselves," Lorelai continued.

            "Yes," Rory agreed.

            "And then he'll start talking to random people - hey, you, are those chocolate chip pancakes?" Lorelai called.

            "Uh, no," the confused person replied.

            "Oh. So what was I saying? Oh, yes. Crazy people. Then they start talking to inanimate objects. And then - "

            "Mom?" Rory interrupted.

            "Yes, offspring?"

            "You're describing yourself."

            "It's not my fault. Fred is upsetting me!"

            "Mom, I told you not to talk about Luke's coffee in front of him. Now he has an inferiority complex," Rory told her.

            "Fred?" Jess asked.

            "Our coffee maker."

            "You named him?"

            "Fred, like in _I Love Lucy_. I love Fred, don't you?"

            "Uh, yeah. Sure," Jess replied sarcastically.

            "LUKEY-BOY! GET OVER HERE AND TAKE OUR ORDERS, COFFEE MAN!" Lorelai yelled across the diner.

            Jess shook his head and turned to Rory. "I gave you coffee to keep you cute."

            "Yes. Yes you did," Rory said, nodding. "My cuteness thanks you."

            "I want something in return," Jess told her, leaning across the counter.

            Rory smiled. "Like what?"

            "I don't know……..a kiss, maybe?"

            "Hmm, maybe. I'll have to think about it and get back to you," Rory said, getting up and walking to the end of the counter.

            Jess followed her from behind the counter, until at last there was no counter between them. "Hi," she said.

            "Hi."

            "Thanks for helping with the coffee emergency."

            "No problem."

            "We'll be talking to Fred when we get home - "

            Jess cut Rory off with a kiss. "And I think Rory would like some Jess for breakfast, preferably over-easy…………ooooh, dirty!" she squealed.

            Jess and Rory broke apart as they heard Lorelai talking to Luke. "None of that in my diner!" Luke yelled at them.

            "Well, we can just go upstairs, Luke - "

            Luke was over there in a flash. "No. You, eat," he said, pointing to Rory. 

            He turned to Jess. "You, work."

            "Pancakes?" Rory asked.

            Luke rolled his eyes. "With chocolate chips."

            "Yay! Mommy, you're a miracle worker."

            "Thank you, child of mine. LUKEY! BEAN ME!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            An old lady sat in the diner at a little table in the corner by herself. She had walked in right before Lorelai and Rory had. 

            She had taken in her surroundings and looked around for a teen-aged boy, but the only person she'd seen working in the diner was a man wearing a flannel and a backwards baseball cap. She knew it had to be Luke Danes, Jess' uncle. 

            She had watched Luke and seen that he was a gruff man, which made her wonder what Jess was like. However, she had been surprised to see the change in Luke once Lorelai and Rory had entered the diner. She laughed to herself as she watched their exchange. She could hear their conversation - the whole diner could hear their conversation - and she smiled to herself.

            Lorelai never could live without her coffee. And she knew it must be Rory standing next to her. Rory looked a lot like Lorelai, although her body stature was more like Christopher's. She saw that Luke liked Lorelai, although Lorelai seemed oblivious. Once again, typical Lorelai. 

            Amidst Lorelai and Rory begging Luke for coffee, she saw a dark-haired teenage boy come down the stairs. _Did Luke and Jess live above the diner?_ she wondered. It appeared that they did.

            She saw Jess come over to the Gilmore girls once Luke had left and pour them coffee. She saw him smirk as he watched them down cup after cup. Then she heard Lorelai yelling for Luke again, and it looked like Rory and Jess were having a conversation, but they were speaking too quietly for her to hear. 

            She watched in surprise as they walked down the counter until they met and kissed. Rory and Jess? They were together? Her surprise turned to happiness. She couldn't believe it! After all this time, it looked like she and Emily………..well, she was getting ahead of herself. They were only high-schoolers, after all.

            She smiled to herself again as she heard Lorelai teasing Rory and Jess, then saw Luke come over after Jess teased him. She was happy to see that Jess and his uncle seemed to know the Gilmore girls so well. 

            Suddenly, it seemed as if Jess were coming over to her table. Of course he was! Luke had just told him to get to work, and she was a customer. What should she say? Oh, well. She'd play it by ear. Be mysterious. That always caught people's attention.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "What can I get ya?" Jess asked.

            He had seen an old lady sitting by herself at a table and had gone to take her order. She had dark, almost black hair with streaks of gray and brown eyes that looked strangely familiar. 

            _I've never seen her before. A new person has come to town. Maybe Taylor will throw a festival. Poor woman. She obviously doesn't know what she's getting in to. But………..she doesn't look like someone from around here. _

            The woman was dressed nicely, in what looked like expensive clothes and jewelry. Jess mentally shook his head. What did he care, really? He waited for the woman to give him her order.

            "Tea, please. And maybe some chocolate chip pancakes?" she asked with a smile.

            Jess looked at her strangely. "You must be new," he finally said.

            "How can you tell?" she asked with a trace of a British accent.

            "You mean apart from the accent?" he asked sarcastically.

            She nodded. "Yes," she answered politely.

            Jess was a bit put off for a moment. No one liked it when he was sarcastic, especially adults. It usually made them stop talking to him, but it wasn't working with this woman. Huh.

            "This is a small town. I've never seen you in here before."

            "Do you work for Luke a lot?"

            Once again, Jess was surprised. "Yeah. You know Luke?"

            "No."

            "Huh."

            "So. How about those chocolate chip pancakes?"

            "I'll try. But Luke only gives in to them," Jess said, jerking his head towards the Gilmore girls.

            "Lorelai and Rory, you mean. Yes, I saw that. But you can ask, right?"

            Jess didn't know what to make of this lady. She didn't know Luke, but she knew who he was. She knew Lorelai and Rory? And she was supposedly new to town. Jess thought that _he_ was the only mysterious one in this town……….so was the old lady?

            "I'll ask."

            Jess paused. "What's your name?" he finally asked.

            "You can call me Maggie."

            _I can call her Maggie? Some old, obviously rich foreigner that I've never met is telling me to call her by her first name? What is up with this crazy old lady?_

            "You can call me Jess."

            He paused. "All right. So Jess, what about those pancakes?" Maggie asked, breaking the silence.

            "Right. Uh. I'll be right back with your tea."

            "Thank you, Jess."

            "No problem," he muttered, walking away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Luke, some lady over there wants chocolate chip pancakes," Lorelai and Rory heard Jess tell Luke as he came up to the counter.

            "What? You've got to be kidding me."

            Lorelai and Rory tried, unsuccessfully, to hide their smiles. Luke turned to them. "You. This is your fault," he told Lorelai.

            "Luke, I think you're jumping to conclusions here. You know, it is possible that someone else in the world likes chocolate chip pancakes."

            "Yes, but no one else orders them from me. Everyone knows better. Who is it?" Luke asked Jess.

            "I don't know," Jess said, his brow furrowed. "I guess she's new to town or something."

            "Oooh, a newcomer! Why hasn't Taylor given a parade?" Lorelai wondered out loud.

            "Maybe she's trying to be covert," Rory suggested.

            "Like Sydney Bristow?" Lorelai wondered.

            "Exactly," Rory replied.

            "Wow," Lorelai said, leaning back and looking deep in thought.

            She turned to Jess. "What else do you know about her?"

            "Her name's Maggie. And - " he hesitated.

            "And what?"

            "Well, she knew who you two were. And you too, Luke."

            "What?" Luke asked.

            Jess shrugged. "What's her last name?" Lorelai asked him.

            "Dunno."

            "She just said 'Oh, you can call me Maggie'?" Lorelai asked him skeptically.

            Jess nodded. "Yeah."

            "It's a mystery!" Lorelai exclaimed.

            "Huh," Rory said.

            Lorelai turned to Jess. "I blame you for that."

            "Hey, I told her not to use it."

            Rory giggled. "I have to get to school."

            "I'll walk you," Jess said. "LUKE! I'M GOING TO SCHOOL!" he yelled across the diner.

            "Yeah, right. I'm supposed to believe that?" Luke asked him, coming over to the door.

            Jess shrugged. "Believe what you want. I'm out."

            "'Bye sweetie," Lorelai called to Rory.

            "'Bye Mom."

            "Franklin?" Lorelai asked her, referring to the Franklin meeting Rory had after school.

            "Yeah."

            "'Kay. See you tonight, then."

            "See you then."

            Rory and Jess walked out of the diner to the bus stop. "You don't have to wait with me," Rory told him.

            "It's okay."

            "Are you going to school today?"

            "Yes ma'am."

            Rory smiled. "Good," she said, giving him a kiss.

            "Huh. Maybe I should go to school more often," Jess said after they broke apart.

            "I think that is an excellent idea. Promise not to flunk out?"

            Jess shrugged. "Come on, Jess, I know you're smart. You wouldn't even have to put in any effort, just actually show up for school, and you'd pass."

            "I told Luke I'd graduate," he finally said.

"I know, but I want you to promise me."

Jess didn't say anything. "Please?" Rory asked, giving him another kiss.

            "Fine. Okay," Jess said after they broke apart.

            "Good."

            Rory gave him another kiss, and then her bus pulled up. "Ugh. I gotta go."

            "See you after school?"

            "I have a Franklin meeting. We'll probably stop by for dinner, though. Maybe after we could do something?"

            "Yeah."

            "Okay. 'Bye," Rory said.

            "'Bye."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            When the last bell rang at three, Jess thought it was the best sound he had ever heard. _Why did I promise her I wouldn't flunk out? Why did I actually come to school today?_ he asked himself.

            He smiled inwardly as he remembered Rory's kisses. _Oh yeah. That's why._

            He went to his locker, threw his books in, and grabbed his English Lit book and his jacket. He had said he wouldn't flunk out, but that didn't mean he was going to start doing homework. He took his English book because, well……….._This counts as homework. I can't be seen doing actual homework. But it's just reading. I read anyway. He glanced at the book. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. He'd never read it before, but what the hell? He wouldn't do any of the journal entry crap, but he could read the damn book if he wanted to._

            Jess was so lost in thought that he walked right in to someone. "What the - " he started, then looked up and saw it was Lane.

            _She's Rory's best friend. Maybe I shouldn't start swearing at her. "Sorry," Lane said. "I wasn't watching where I was going."_

            "Yeah. Me too."

            Lane looked surprised that he wasn't being a jerk to her, and Jess had to fight the urge to laugh. "Later," he said, walking away.

            He saw Dave walking over to Lane, looking at him suspiciously as Lane stared after him. Jess shook his head. _This school is full of freaks_, he thought. 

            A little while later he reached the diner. He went upstairs and threw his jacket down, then stuck the book in his back pocket. "JESS!" Luke bellowed.

            "Hey Luke, ever hear of child labor laws?" Jess asked him.

            "Hey Jess, ever think that maybe I know when your birthday was? You're 18."

            "Huh. Really?"

            Luke rolled his eyes. "Yes. Really. Now get to work."

            "There's maybe three people here. I think you can handle it."

            "Jess, I'm not asking you. I'm telling you."

            "Yeah, yeah."

            The bell rang and Taylor burst in. "Now Luke, see here - " Taylor began.

            "Taylor, I already told you, I'm not putting up Valentine's Day decorations! It's my diner, and I said no!"

            "Luke, this is ridiculous. Must we go through this every year? Maybe _you don't like it, but your customers will. Now - "_

            "Taylor. Get out of my diner."

            "Luke, must you always be so hot-headed and unreasonable? Now, will a couple of paper hearts kill you?"

            "Yes."

            "Really?" Jess interrupted. "Let me put a few up."

            "Jess," Luke said warningly.

            Taylor turned his attention to Jess. "Don't think I'm not watching you, young hoodlum. You - "

            "Excuse me."

            Jess, Taylor, and Luke turned around to see Maggie standing there. "Can I help you?" Luke asked her.

            "Yes. I - "

            "Who are you?" Taylor interrupted.

            "Who are you?" she responded.

            "Taylor Doose, owner of Doose's and the Soda Shoppe. Are you new to town?"

            "No."

            "But I've never seen you before, and I make it my duty to know everyone here, and welcome those who are new here. "

            "Run," Jess muttered to her.

            She smiled. "That's delightful to hear, Mr. Doose. But I don't live here."

            "Oh. Then where do you live?"

            "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you had a right to interrogate me while I'm trying to order some tea."

            "See here, Miss - what is your name?"

            "Margaret."

            "Margaret……." Taylor trailed off, waiting for her to tell him her last name.

            "Yes?" she asked.

            Jess was smirking and even Luke was fighting a smile. Taylor threw his hands in the air. "Fine. I'm leaving. But this isn't the end of this, Luke. And I'm watching you, you troublemaker!"

            "Don't worry, I'll give you something to watch for!" Jess called after him.

            Taylor slammed the door behind him. "Well, that was interesting," Luke remarked. "Can I get you your tea, uh - "

            "You can call me Maggie," she told him.

            "Maggie - you're the woman who ordered the chocolate chip pancakes this morning?"

            She shrugged. "Possibly. Did I receive them?"

            "I made them, but you were already gone, it seems," Luke answered her.

            "Hmm. So maybe it wasn't me after all."

            Luke glanced to his right and saw Jess looking at the woman with ill-concealed admiration, and he had to admit that even his curiosity was piqued. She was harder to talk to than Jess was. "I'll get you your tea," Luke said.

            "Thank you, Mr. Danes."

            Maggie went and sat down at the same table in the corner and pulled out a book from her rather large handbag. 

            Jess came behind the counter and Luke handed him the cup of tea. "Here. Give this to her."

            "Afraid to talk to her?"

            "No. Why would I be?"

            Jess shrugged. "How did she know my name?" Luke asked Jess.

            "Dunno."

            "And she knew Lorelai and Rory, too? Do you think this is some crazy prank they're pulling?"

            Jess shrugged again. "You know, talking to you is like talking to a wall."

            "A wall can't shrug."

            "Just give her the damn tea."

            Jess walked over to Maggie and put the tea down in front of her. "Can I get you anything else?" he asked her.

            Maggie looked up from her book. "No, thank you, Jess."

            "Okay."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Paris, there's nothing left to talk about," Rory told her.

            It was 5:30 in the afternoon, and Paris had gone over ever article for the Franklin at least twice. All Rory wanted to do was go home.

            "Listen, Gilmore, I know you've been in la-la land all day, but we have an important job to do here. If you don't want to be a part of it, then just go."

            "I want to be a part of it. I just - "

            "Well then, quit your daydreaming and maybe we'd get something done!" Paris snapped.

            _Daydreaming? I have not been daydreaming! Have I? Well, I might have thought about Jess once today………or twice………I wonder if he actually stayed in school the whole day, without getting into trouble. I wonder if he'll keep his promise. Well, why wouldn't he? He's kept promises to me before. And he promised Luke. Well, okay, so that might not mean anything. I wonder if he'll be glad to see me. Maybe he'll be mad that I made him go to school. _

"Gilmore!" Paris' voice interrupted Rory's thoughts.

            "Yes Paris?" Rory asked obediently.

            Madeline and Louise giggled. "I said, I want you to redo this article and have it done for me by Friday."

            "Okay."

            "All right, meeting dismissed."

            Rory let out a sigh of relief and started gathering up her things. As she walked out of school, she heard someone behind her. "Gilmore! Rory, wait," Paris called.

            Rory stopped. _Now what?_ she wondered.

            "Where were you back there?"

            "What are you talking about, Paris?"

            "You. You've been daydreaming all day."

            "I don't know what you're talking about."

            "Things are going well with what's-his-name, huh?"

            "Jess. Yeah."

            "Well, that's nice. But you've got to pay attention."

            "I will, Paris."

            "Okay. Do you need a ride home?"

            "Well, I was just going to take the bus - "

            "I can give you a ride."

            "Paris, it's okay. I mean, Stars Hollow is out of the way for you."

            "It's not like I have anything to do tonight. How about you?"

            "Well, my mom and I are going to have dinner at Luke's."

            "Isn't that where your boyfriend works?"

            "Yes."

            "Oh. Well, I can just drop you off at your house."

            "Well, okay. Thanks, Paris."

            Rory put her bag in the backseat of Paris' car, then got in the front. Rory and Paris were silent for most of the ride to the Gilmore home. 

            Finally, they pulled into Rory's driveway. "Well, thanks, Paris."

            "You're welcome. Don't forget about that article, okay?"

            "I won't."

            Rory grabbed her bag from the backseat, then stopped. "Hey, Paris, what are you doing tonight?"

            "Well, I'm probably going to start thinking about the layout for the next Franklin, or start working on that speech for the assembly next week."

            "That can wait. Do you want to have dinner with us?"

            "Oh, no. You don't have to try to repay me for the ride home."

            "I'm not. I'm asking you if you want to have dinner with us."

            "Oh, well - " Paris paused. "Sure, I guess I could. Just let me call Nanny."

            "Okay. I'm going inside."

            "I'll come in when I'm through," Paris said, picking up her cell phone and starting to dial.

            "Okay."

            Rory walked in to her house. "Mom?"

            "Upstairs!"

            She went upstairs to her mom's room. "Ready for Luke's?" Lorelai asked her.

            "Yeah. Um, Mom, Paris gave me a ride home."

            "Oooooookay," Lorelai said, drawing out the word. "That's fine."

            "Well, she didn't have any plans for tonight, so I kinda asked her to have dinner with us."

            "Okay."

            "Okay?"

            "Yeah. As long as she doesn't start telling me her plans on how to take over the world."

            "I'll tell her. Not a word."

            "Great. Where is she?"

            "Um, she's outside. She was going to call home."

            "Okay. Well, go get changed, I'll tell her you're in your room."

            "'Kay. Thanks Mom."

            Rory went downstairs into her room to change, and a few minutes later Lorelai went downstairs and heard knocking. She opened the door to find Paris standing there. "Hello Miss Gilmore," Paris said.

            "Hello Paris. You know, you didn't have to knock. Come in."

            "Okay. Thank you."

            Lorelai and Paris stood in the hallway, both looking around. "So," Lorelai finally said, breaking the silence. "Do you want to borrow some clothes or something?"

            "What?"

            "Your uniform."

            "Oh."

            "Come on, you can borrow something of Rory's."

            "Oh, well, okay."

            "Rory! Incoming!" Lorelai said, opening Rory's bedroom door.

            "Hey," Rory said, brushing her hair.

            "Ooooh. Rory's getting pretty for Jess," Lorelai whispered to Paris.

            "Mom!"

            "Okay, okay. I told Paris she could borrow some clothes."

            "Okay………..um, Paris, what do you want?"

            "Whatever is fine."

            "Ooooh, we get to dress you!" Lorelai and Rory exclaimed.

            "Should I be afraid?" Paris asked.

            "Yes," Rory told her.

            "Can we dress you like a hooker?"

            "No!"

            "Mom, I don't have any clothes that a hooker would wear."

            "Oh yeah. Didn't I tell you to start dressing sluttier?"

            "It's on my to-do list."

            "Good. Hmm…..you have boring clothes. Here," Lorelai said, throwing Paris a red t-shirt and jeans.

            "You can change in here. We're going," Rory told Paris, who was looking at them a little uncomfortably.

            "Okay. Good."

            As Rory and Lorelai headed into the living room, Lorelai giggled. "I am going to have so much fun tonight!"

            "Mom. Don't be too cruel."

            "Who, me?"

            "Yes."

            Lorelai sighed. "You ruin all of my fun."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Is she still here?" Luke asked Jess quietly.

            "Yeah."

            Maggie had stayed in the diner all afternoon, ordering tea and reading her book. She always thanked them politely, saying 'Thank you, Jess' or 'Thank you, Mr. Danes', and Luke was stumped. He could tell by her clothes and jewelry that she was well-to-do, and she had told Taylor that she didn't live in Stars Hollow. So then what was she doing spending the afternoon in his diner?

            "Lorelai and Rory are coming for dinner," Jess told Luke a little while later.

            "They do that a lot."

            "Yeah."

            "So why are you telling me this?" Luke asked him.

            "Thought you might want to clean up."

            "What?"

            "You've got grease all over your flannel."

            "So?"

            "I'm just saying."

            "What are you saying?"

            "Nothing."

            "Then what are those words coming out of your mouth?"

            "Nothing."

            "You're impossible."

            "I was thinking I might start counting how many times a day you say that."

            Jess looked to see if Maggie needed more tea and saw that she had gone. "Huh," Jess said.

            "What?" Luke asked.

            "She's gone."

            Luke looked over to where Maggie had been sitting. "There's something weird about her," Luke told Jess.

            Jess shrugged. "Whatever. She reads good books."

            "How do you know?"

            "I looked at the book she was reading. It's a good one."

            "Okay."

            The diner was emptying out, and Luke gave an order to Caesar, then turned to Jess. "I'm going to change."

            "Yup."

            "For the town meeting tonight."

            "Oh, yeah."

            "You know how Taylor is."

            "Yeah."

            "So that's why I'm changing."

            "Okay."

            "Yeah. So you're in charge for the next couple of minutes."

            "Okay."

            "Okay," Luke repeated.

            Luke went upstairs to change, and Jess smirked. _Town meeting. What a load of bull. Who does he think he's kidding? Everyone in this whole damn town knows he's in love with Lorelai_. 

            Jess was lost in thought and didn't notice anyone else entering the diner. "What's that smirk for?" Rory asked, coming up to him.

            "Nothing."

            "I don't believe you."

            "Huh."

            They kissed. "So how long did Paris keep you?" he asked.

            "Until after 5:30."

            Jess looked up and saw Lorelai and Paris sit down at the counter. "And then I kinda invited her for dinner," Rory said.

            "Kinda?"

            "Yeah. She gave me a ride home."

            "Maybe I should give you a ride home."

            "Maybe you should," Rory said with a smile.

            Jess went behind the counter and Rory sat down in between her mother and Paris. "What can I get you?" Jess asked.

            "Where's Luke?" Lorelai pouted.

            Jess shrugged. "I'm not good enough for you?"

            "Frankly, no."

            "I'm hurt."

            "You'll get over it."

            Lorelai sighed. "I'll have coffee. But it's just no fun ordering it from you."

            "Huh."

            "I'll have coffee too, please," Rory said.

            "Paris?" Jess asked.

            "What? Oh, I'll have a Pepsi."

            "Coming right up."

            "That's your Jess?" Paris asked after he had left.

            "Yup."

            "Isn't he that one that was over at your house when your boyfriend came over?"

            "Um - " Rory glanced at Lorelai.

            "And then Dean got all mad and I covered for you?"

            "Uh - "

            "And after all of that, you're dating him now?"

            "Yes, Paris."

            "Oh. Okay."

            "Whoa, back up. What?" Lorelai asked.

            "You remember, Mom, that night Paris slept over? Well, Jess showed up that night and brought us food."

            "Uh-huh," Lorelai said skeptically. 

            "He did! And so the three of us were eating - "

            "And discussing books," Paris added. "He liked this one that was horrible! It was by - "

            "And then Dean came over unexpectedly," Rory continued. "And he got all mad when Jess was there, so Paris covered for me."

            "What did you say?" Jess asked interestedly as he brought them their drinks.

            Paris blushed. "I told Dean I liked you and was trying to get Rory set us up," she said.

            Jess smirked and Lorelai started laughing. "It's not that funny! It was obviously a lie!" Paris said defensively.

            "Paris, I had no idea you felt that way about me," Jess said, leaning in towards her.

            "Hey! I am right here, you know," Rory said.

            "Oh yeah. Paris. I'll see you later," Jess said with a wink.

            "Oh my God. Did you just wink at her?" Lorelai asked him.

            "Nope," Jess replied.

            "Yes you did, I saw you," Rory told him.

            "No I didn't."

            "Yes you did."

            "No I didn't."

"Okay, this conversation is officially over," Rory said.

"Okay."

"But you did, you know. I saw you."

"Whatever."

"LUKE!" Lorelai called desperately. "Help!"

Luke came downstairs wearing a different flannel, and Jess smirked. "There's that smirk again," Rory said.

Luke glared at Jess. "Okay, what is going on?" Lorelai asked.

"Nothing," Luke said.

"Yeah. What he said," Jess said very unconvincingly.

"Is this what your dinners are always like?" Paris asked.

"More or less," Rory told her.

Lorelai's eyes lit up. "Paris, do you want to have some real fun?" she asked.

"No."

"Oh, come on! You can come to the town meeting! It's in a half an hour."

"A town meeting? That could be interesting. I'd like to see how it's run."

Lorelai and Rory giggled. "I can't wait for you to see it," Lorelai told Paris.

Paris looked at the Gilmore girls strangely, then decided it was best to disregard anything they told her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Are all of the meetings like this?" Paris whispered loudly to Rory, who was sitting next to her.

            "Yes," Lorelai loudly whispered back.

            Paris was sitting in between Lorelai and Rory, with Jess on Rory's other side and Luke on Lorelai's other side. "We haven't even gotten to the best part yet," Rory told Paris. "Wait until you see the Luke/Taylor argument."

            "Oh, gee, I didn't think it could get any better from when you put to vote whether or not you should start to control the rabbit population," Paris replied sarcastically.

            "Hey! I like rabbits," Lorelai said, butting in to their conversation again.

            Paris rolled her eyes. Jess was glad to see that someone besides him realized how lame these meetings were. He put his arm across the back of Rory's chair, and she leaned against him, when all of the sudden Paris jabbed Rory in the side. "Hey, isn't that Prince William himself?" she asked Rory.

            Rory looked and saw Dean sitting a couple of seats to the left of them in the row ahead. "Yes, that's him," she told Paris.

            "Prince William?" Jess asked.

            "It's just crazy Paris talk," Rory told him.

            "Paris, I'm hurt that I don't have a nickname," Jess told her.

            Paris looked at him as if she couldn't believe he was acting so childish, and he sat back in his seat. "Some people fail to see the humor in life," he muttered to Rory.

            She giggled, then put her head on his shoulder. Jess was glad to see that she didn't seem to care about 'flaunting their relationship' in front of anyone anymore. 

            "And now, we have a last topic to discuss. Luke has, once again, refused to put Valentine's Day decorations up at his diner. His is the only Stars Hollow building that is not decorated for this holiday. Luke, I must ask - "

            "Taylor, it is _MY_ diner, and I will not put up decorations for some stupid holiday!" Luke yelled, jumping to his feet.

            "Now, Luke - "

            "The answer is no!"

            "Look at him get all worked up," Miss Patty told Babette. 

            "Yeah, I like it!" Babette replied, and the two started giggling.

            "Ladies, please!" Taylor told them.

            "Ooooh, Luke, they think you're hot," Lorelai told him. "They like to see you get all _excited!"_

            Lorelai giggled. "Mom!" Rory said.

            "I know. Dirty!"

            "That's better."

            Luke and Paris looked at Lorelai and Rory as if they were behaving extremely immaturely. "Okay, we'll be good," Lorelai said in a small voice.

            As Taylor and Luke continued to argue, Lorelai turned to Rory and Jess. "What are you two doing for Valentine's Day?" she asked them casually.

            Jess looked at her as if she were speaking some foreign language, and Rory looked embarrassed. "Mom!" Rory exclaimed.

            "Sorry."

            Lorelai went back to making comments to Luke while he was trying to argue with Taylor, and Paris just watched the whole debacle with a look of disbelief that any meeting could actually be run this way. 

            Rory sneaked a look at Jess and saw that he still had that she's-speaking-a-foreign-language look on his face. "It's okay," Rory said. "Valentine's Day, I mean. It's not for a while, we don't have to do anything big."

            Rory could tell Jess was doing some fast thinking. "Isn't it on a Friday?" he asked.

            She nodded. "What about those Friday night dinners at your grandparents?"

            "Oh, Mom and I just tell them we have plans."

            "Your mom has plans?"

            "No. But she says she does."

            "Ah."

            "We don't have to talk about it now," Rory assured him. "We can talk about it later."

            _Holy shit, Jess thought. __What am I supposed to do for Rory on Valentine's Day?_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note: _****Review! Please review! Reviews are to me what coffee is to the Gilmore girls! The elixir of life! Give me what you have to say, I can take it!**

**_Coming in Chapter 3_****……………… It's a Friday night dinner! Enough said!**

**_Special Mention:_**** I'm sorry for having these first chapters so focused on Rory and Jess, but that's just the way the wind blows. This is going to be a many-chaptered, multi-story series, so I'm not really in any rush to get every character in every chapter, but trust me, when all's said and done, the series will have a broad view.**

              
  



	4. You're Much Too Cheeky Today, Charles

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

**~*~*_SPECIAL NOTE! I'm sorry it has taken so long to update. I've had the chapters ready, but fanfic.net was acting up on me and not letting me upload new chapters._**

**And YES, I love long reviews!!!! ****J**

********************************************************************************

            "You're dressed up," Luke told Lorelai and Rory as they entered the diner late Friday afternoon.

            "Thank you, Captain Obvious. I want coffee and a big cheeseburger with extra fries."

            "Oooh, me too," Rory said.

            "Why are you dressed up?" Luke asked.

            "It's Friday," Rory told him. "We have dinner with the grandparents in an hour."

            "If you're having dinner, then why are you here?" Luke asked.

            "Because last week they served us squid!" Lorelai told him in horror.

            "And then we almost died of starvation," Rory added.

            "So I thought - Rory, we must come up with a plan!" Lorelai said dramatically.

            "And she did."

            "Oh, I can't stand the suspense," Luke said sarcastically.

            "Luke, I don't like your tone," Lorelai told him. "But I'll tell you anyway."

            "You always do."

            Lorelai ignored him and continued. "We eat good food before the grandparents dinner, and then when we don't eat their gross food, we still won't die of starvation!"

            "Because we ate here first," Rory told him.

            "Wow, that's just brilliant," Luke told Lorelai. "Really, it is. I mean, I think that is the most brilliant idea I have ever heard. Cure for cancer? Cloning a human? Oh, no. How to avoid eating gross food without starving, that's it."

            "So coffee and a burger?" Lorelai asked.

            "Coming right up."

            "Hey Luke, where's Jess?" Rory called.

            "Upstairs!" he called back.

            "Can I - "

            "Yeah!"

            "Be right back, Mom."

            "Yeah, sure you will. I know what you're doing up there."

            "Mom!"

            "Oh, just go."

            Rory headed up the stairs and knocked on the door, but no one answered. She slowly opened it and saw Jess sitting in a chair, reading, with headphones on. She could hear the music blaring from where she was standing. 

            Rory crept up behind him, then wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, kissing him on the cheek. Jess turned off the music, took off the headphones, and dropped the book, letting them fall in a pile on the floor. "Hey," he said.

            He pulled Rory into his lap and put his arms loosely around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hey," she said.

            Rory tilted her head to one side, Jess leaned forward, and they kissed. It was a demanding kiss that seemed to last a lifetime - Rory opened her mouth and Jess crushed it with his. Rory played with the hair on the back of Jess' head as they kissed, and Jess pulled Rory tighter up against him.

            Suddenly they heard loud banging on the stairs and stopped kissing, both flushed and breathing hard. "Hey!" Luke said, bursting in. "Different pieces of furniture!"

            "We're not on the same piece of furniture," Rory told him innocently.

            "Yeah, I'm on the chair, and she's on me," Jess said.

            "Jess," Luke said warningly.

            Rory blushed and got up. "Your food's ready," Luke told Rory gruffly.

            "Okay," Rory said meekly.

            She disappeared down the stairs and Jess made to follow, but Luke blocked the doorway. "Jess."

            Jess stopped, but didn't say anything. "What are you doing?" Luke asked warily.

            "Right now, or before?"

            "You know what I mean."

            "Kissing my girlfriend?" Jess said.

            "I have rules!"

            "Yes."

            "You're supposed to follow them."

            "Oh, is that how it works? Huh. Well, now I know."

            "Jess - "

            "What!" Jess said, annoyed.

            "Are you sleeping with her?"

            Jess' head jerked up. "What? No!"

            "Are you going to?"

            "None of your business."

            "Jess - " Luke began threateningly.

            "I'm not going to make her do anything she doesn't want to," he told Luke defensively.

            "Okay," Luke said simply.

            Luke turned around and went downstairs, and after a moment, Jess followed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "You and Jess were up there for a long time," Lorelai told Rory when she came downstairs and sat down.

            "Really?"

            "Yeah. I detained Luke for you."

            "Thanks."

            "So?"

            "So what?"

            "So what happened?" Lorelai prodded.

            She eyed Rory. "You and James Dean were making out," she teased.

            "I thought you were going to come up with a different nickname."

            "I'm working on it. But you're not going to distract me."

            "Who's trying to distract you? Me? No, not me. Nope. Must be somebody else."

            "Uh-huh. So?"

            "So what?"

            "Is he a good kisser?"

            "Mom!"

            "Well?"

            "Mom, you should not be asking me this. Besides, I thought you didn't like Jess."

            "I don't. But you do, so I'm pretending I do."

            "I see. And yes."

            "I knew it!" Lorelai said triumphantly.

            "Knew what?" Jess asked, coming over to their table.

            "Nothing," Lorelai said in a sing-song voice.

            He looked at Rory, who was blushing. "What'd you tell her?" he asked Rory.

            "Rory and Jess, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Lorelai sang.

            "Mom, stop!" Rory begged.

            "What'd you tell her?" Jess repeated.

            "So, James Dean, I hear you're a good kisser," Lorelai said.

            Luke, was had also come over to their table, looked like he was about to fall over. "What?"

            Rory put her face in her hands. "Not happening. Not happening," she said over and over, her voice muffled.

            "Lorelai!" Luke said.

            "What?" she asked innocently.

            "You sound like - like - like Miss Patty!"

            "I do not! I am merely repeating information given to me. Miss Patty talks about how she wants to pinch Jess' butt."

            "What?" Jess asked.

            Rory took her head out of her hands and giggled. "Yup. Should I be jealous?"

            "Can we please stop talking about Jess and - and - " Luke stopped.

            "Jess and how he's a good kisser, or Jess and Miss Patty?" Lorelai asked in an I'm-trying-to-be-helpful tone.

            "There is no Jess and Miss Patty," Jess told Lorelai.

            "Sure there's not."

            "There's not."

            "Sure there's not."

            "There's not!"

            "Sure - "

            "There's NOT!"

            "Wow, I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much. Can we start this argument again?"

            "No," Jess replied.

            Rory looked at her watch. "Mom, we have to go. We're going to be late."

            "Oh, all right."

            Rory gave Jess a quick kiss and waved goodbye to Luke. "'Bye Lukey! 'Bye Jessie! It's been fun!" Lorelai called.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Ring the doorbell," Rory told Lorelai.

            "You ring the doorbell."

            "Why can't you do it?" Rory asked her.

            "Because if I ring the doorbell, someone's going to answer the door."

            "Yes, that's what usually happens when somebody rings a doorbell."

            "And then we're going to have to go inside."

            "Mmm-hmm, but you forgot the part where someone lets us in through the door."

            "You know, sometimes I think I've raised a cheeky child," Lorelai told Rory.

            "Cheeky?"

            "Yes. Cheeky," Lorelai said, looking proud of herself for using a new word.

            She giggled. "Cheeky," she said again.

            Rory rang the doorbell and a maid answered the door. "Hello, my name is Elena."

            "Hiya, Elena. We're the daughter and granddaughter."

            "Right this way," Elena said, leading them to Emily.

            "So I think cheeky should be our new word," Lorelai continued.

            "A new word?"

            "You're right, we should turn it into a phrase. Like, 'you're much too cheeky today, Charles'," Lorelai said with a fake British accent.

            "Okay."

            "You're going to use it on Luke, aren't you," Rory said, seeing the slight smile on her mother's face.

            Lorelai shook her head. "Guess again," she sang.

            "Oh no. Jess?"

            She grinned and nodded. Rory rolled her eyes upward. "Oy with the poodles already!"

            "Oh, Rory, Lorelai. How nice to see you," Emily said.

            "Right back at ya, Mom."

            "Hi Grandma."

            "What would you like to drink?" Emily asked them.

            "Soda is fine," Rory said.

            "Martini. Dry."

            After Lorelai and Rory received their drinks, Emily sat down with them. "So, Rory. How's school going?"

            "Fine, Grandma."

            "That's nice. And Lorelai, how are things going at the Inn?"

            "They're going great."

            "How's Sookie doing? Is she pregnant yet?"

            Lorelai spluttered on her drink. "No, Sookie's not pregnant yet! I can't believe you just asked me that."

            "It was just a question, Lorelai. You don't have to get so excited."

            There was a pause, until Emily asked Lorelai another question. "Are you seeing anyone?"

            "Enough with the twenty questions!" Lorelai exclaimed.

            "Well, Lorelai, honestly, it's the only way I can get anything out of you - "

            "So, Mom, how's Gran doing?" Lorelai interrupted.

            "Fine. She insulted the new chair in the study just yesterday."

            "Wow, I see how great you two are getting along."

            "Ma'am, dinner is ready," Elena said, coming up to Emily.

            "Excellent. Go and fetch Mr. Gilmore from his study, please."

            Emily turned to Lorelai and Rory. "Shall we, girls?"

            "Oh yes, we shall," Lorelai said.

            "You're much too cheeky today, Charles," Rory quietly told her mother.

            Lorelai giggled. "Cheeky."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Uuuuhhh," Lorelai moaned the next morning, coming into the kitchen. "I think I'm dead."

            "Look, Fred made coffee," Rory told her mother.

            "He did? Good boy!" Lorelai said, perking up and patting the top of the coffee maker.

            Lorelai and Rory sat at the table silently, drinking their coffee. "So what are your plans for today?" Lorelai asked her daughter.

            "Well, I have some homework to do, and then I'm going to go see Lane. How about you?"

            "I have to go to the Inn. I mean, Michel was in charge last night. Who knows what happened?"

            "Yeah. Movie night tonight?" Rory asked.

            "Of course."

            "Um, Mom…….." Rory hesitated.

            "What?"

            "Can I invite Jess?"

            _Oh, great. Movie night ruined by James Dean. Hey, maybe we should get a James Dean movie, and make comparisons between him and Jess the whole time. Hmm………, Lorelai thought._

            "Yeah, okay," Lorelai said.

            "Thanks. Luke's?"

            "Duh!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Lukey! I have arrived!" Lorelai called across the diner as she tried to make a dramatic entrance.

            Rory pushed her through the door. "Hey, missy, keep it movin'."

            They sat down at a table in the corner. "So flannel man," Lorelai began as Luke came over and poured them coffee. "Seen any more of the mystery lady?"

            "Yeah."

            "You have? Ooooh, so what else do you know about her?"

            "Nothing. Oh, but you missed it when she put Taylor in his place."

            "Why do I miss all the good stuff?" Lorelai asked Rory, who shrugged and kept drinking her coffee.

            "How come we've never seen her?" Lorelai asked Luke.

            Luke looked at them for a moment. "You know, it's strange," he said slowly. "She's here a lot, but whenever you two come, she suddenly disappears."

            "Gee, Luke, don't make it sound like we chase customers away or anything," Lorelai told him.

            "It's just odd," Luke muttered to himself as he walked away.

            "Hehe! This is driving Luke crazy!" Lorelai said gleefully.

            "Is this some prank you two are pulling?" Jess asked, coming over to their table and sitting down next to Rory.

            "No!" Rory told him indignantly. "We would come up with something so much better!"

            Lorelai and Rory turned to look at each other. "Why haven't we ever come up with a huge prank to pull on Luke?" Lorelai asked Rory.

            "I don't know. If this gets out, it could ruin your reputation," Rory told her.

            "I know! I better think of something!"

            "It has to be something big."

            Lorelai nodded. "Monumental."

            "Huge."

            "Gigantic."

            "This conversation is repetitive," Jess told them.

            "And redundant," Rory replied.

            Jess rolled his eyes. "What are you doing today?" he asked Rory.

            "I have homework and then I'm going to hang out with Lane."

            "Okay."

            "But - " Rory shot a glance at her mom, who was pretending that she wasn't listening to every word they were saying, "I was wondering if you wanted to come to movie night tonight."

            "Um, you know what? I have to go ask Luke something. I'll be right back," Lorelai interrupted.

            "Okay, Mom."

            Lorelai got up and left, and Rory turned to Jess. "So?"

            Jess shrugged. "Okay."

            "You want to?"

            "I want to see you."

            Rory smiled. "Okay."

            She gave him a light kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Luke!" Lorelai said, going behind the counter.

            "Lorelai, what have I told you about coming behind the counter?" Luke admonished her.

            "You know, I've worked behind the counter before."

            "Yes, I know. You remind me at every available opportunity."

            "You're much too cheeky today, Charles," Lorelai said in a fake British accent.

            Luke looked at her strangely, and Lorelai giggled. "Cheeky!"

            "Will you go sit down now?" Luke asked her.

            "No. I have to ask you something."

            "No."

            "Lukey, you don't even know what it is yet! It's a fabulous opportunity!"

            "Okay, what is it?"

            "I am extending to you an invitation to be a part of the Gilmore Movie Night! This is an invitation not extended to just anyone, my friend. It involves great - "

            "No."

            "Luke, please!" Lorelai said desperately, grabbing his arm. "I'll even buy carrots or celery or something for you!"

            He examined her face closely. "Why?" he finally asked.

            "Because Rory invited Jess, and I don't think I should be alone with him."

            "Rory will be there."

            "What if she gets up to go the bathroom or something? I will not be responsible for my actions."

            "And it just never occurred to you to give the kid a chance?"

            "No, it occurred to me. Please, Luke, this is a whole night! I don't know if I can handle it."

            "All right."

            Lorelai stopped her pleading and looked at him. "All right?"

            "Yeah, all right."

            "Why are you saying yes?"

            "Because then I can keep an eye on him."

            "Aw, you're just too good to Rory."

            "Yeah, yeah," Luke said gruffly. "Are you going to sit down now?"

            "Yes," Lorelai said obediently, giving him a smile.

            Luke shook his head as Lorelai danced back the table. "Okay, stop kissing now!" Lorelai said. "Mother incoming!"

            "Why are you in such a good mood all of the sudden?" Rory asked her mother after she and Jess broke apart.

            "I convinced Luke to come tonight too."

            "You've got to be kidding me," Jess said.

            "Nope!"

            "Great," he muttered.

            "You're much too cheeky today, Charles," Lorelai told Jess with a fake British accent.

            He looked at her as if she had spouted an extra head. "Did you just use the word 'cheeky'?" he asked her.

            Lorelai and Rory giggled. "Cheeky!" Lorelai said.

            "JESS! GET TO WORK!" Luke yelled.

            Jess rolled his eyes. "I'll see you tonight," he told Rory, giving her a kiss.

            "Be there by seven."

            "Okay."

            "'Bye Charles!" Lorelai called after him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Hello?"

            It was early afternoon, and Rory had just finished her homework when the phone rang. "Hey babe, it's me."

            "Hey Mom. What's up?"

            "What are you doing?"

            "I'm about to go to Lane's."

            "Okay, well, will you have time to stop at Doose's?"

            "Sure. Why?"

            "I won't have time to pick up the movies and the food, things are crazy here."

            "And why must you be the one to pick out the movies?"

            "Because we're having guests, and I want it to be an extra-special night for them?"

            "Just don't be too cruel when selecting movies."

            "What? I can't hear you!" Lorelai said, raising her voice. "I think the phone lines are going down - what? What? Rory, are you there?"

            Rory rolled her eyes. "See you tonight, Mom."

            "What? See who? When?" Lorelai asked, still speaking loudly.

            Rory hung up the phone. Looking at her watch, she decided to go to Doose's before heading over to Lane's - she had told Lane she wouldn't be coming over for another hour or so anyway.

            Rory grabbed her jacket and went outside, looking around as she walked. It hadn't snowed for a while, and everything looked gray. She wished spring would hurry up and come.

            Rory suppressed a smile as she entered Doose's. Taylor had, once again, gone all out. The store was covered in Valentine's Day decorations. "Rory!" Kirk called.

            "Hello, Kirk," she said, walking over to him.

            "Which food do you think Kirk would like the best?" he asked her.

            They were standing in the pet food aisle. "CatKirk? I don't know."

            "I have to get him food he'll like. My mother said that if I feed him food he likes, then maybe he'll stop attacking me. She says he's attacking me out of anger."

            "Oh."

            "Yes. But I don't know which food he would like! What am I going to do? Mother will be so upset! She doesn't like to see me getting hurt, you know."

            "I see."

            "Why don't you get this kind," a voice interrupted. "Most cats like it."

            Rory looked up and saw Dean standing there. Dean handed a bag of cat food to Kirk, who thanked him and left. "Thanks," Rory said.

            "No problem."

            They stood in silence for a moment. "So," Dean said. "How are you?"

            "I'm good. You?"

            "Good."

            "Clara?"

            "Good," Dean replied.

            "Good."

            Silence again. "Well, I have to get junk food," Rory finally said.

            "Movie night?"

            "Yeah."

            "Well, see you around."

            "Yeah. See ya."

            Rory left in search of junk food. Even though she and Dean had agreed to be friends, things were still awkward sometimes. Well, all of the time, really.

            Rory grabbed bags of chips, cookies, candy, and a box of PopTarts, then brought it to the register. The girl rang it up, and Rory was just leaving when she heard Dean call her name. "Rory!"

            Rory stopped and turned around. "Long time no see."

            "Yeah. I'm on break. What are you up to?"

            "Oh, well, I have to bring all this junk food home, and then I'm going to Lane's."

            "Need help?" he asked, seeing Rory struggling to carry all of the bags herself.

            "Well - "

            "Come on, I'm on break for another twenty minutes. I have time to help a friend."

            "Okay."

            Dean took most of the bags, leaving her with just one. "Thanks," she said.

            "No problem."

            They walked back to Rory's house, Dean talking about school and Rory listening politely. "You can just leave the bags on the counter," Rory told him as they walked into her house.

            "Okay."

            They left the bags on the counter, then walked back outside. Dean saw Rory glance at her watch. "Time to meet Lane?" he asked her.

            "What? Oh, not yet."

            "Want to grab a coffee or something?"

            "Oh, well, actually I was thinking of stopping by Luke's for a quick coffee."

            "Mind if I join you?" Dean asked as they walked to Luke's.

            "Well - no, I guess not," Rory said, unable to think of a way to politely refuse.

            "Oh, sorry. I forgot he'll be there."

            "Jess won't care."

            "Yeah, right," Dean scoffed.

            "He won't," Rory told Dean defensively. "He trusts me."

            "Okay then. Let's go."

            Rory sighed inwardly. She hoped she was right and that Jess wouldn't care. She had thought he was okay with her and Dean being friends, but her mother had planted a seed of doubt into her mind.

            Dean and Rory entered Luke's, and Rory quickly looked around. Jess had his back to her and was talking to someone sitting at a table in the corner. _That's strange, Rory thought. __Jess doesn't voluntarily talk to anyone………except me._

            "Where do you want to sit?" Dean asked her.

            "Um, we can sit at the counter," Rory said, thinking that it seemed less like they were there together if they sat at the counter.

            Luke came up to them and looked from Rory, to Dean, back to Rory. "Okay. What can I get you?"

            "Just coffee for me, Luke."

            "I'll have the same," Dean said.

            "Right. Okay," Luke said, looking between them again.

            "This is kind of weird," Rory said to Dean after Luke left.

            "Yeah."

            "But we're just friends, so it shouldn't be. Right?"

            "Right," Dean agreed.

            "Here's your coffee," Luke said, bringing them each a cup.

            "Thanks," Dean said.

            "Who's Jess talking to?" Rory asked Luke curiously.

            She hadn't been able to resist sneaking a glance over her shoulder, and had seen that Jess still hadn't even noticed her come in. He was still at that same table. "Oh, that's Maggie," Luke said.

            "She's here?"

            Luke nodded. "And Jess is talking to her?" Rory asked disbelievingly.

            "She's an interesting person to talk to," Luke said.

            "Are you telling me you talk to her too?" Rory asked him.

            "She comes in here a lot. Yeah, I talk to her. So does Jess. So what?"

            "Nothing, it's just - nothing."

            "Who's Maggie?" Dean asked.

            "This old lady nobody knows who comes in here," Rory told him.

            "You should go over and talk to her," Luke told Rory. "Meet her yourself."

            "Maybe I will."

            Dean looked at his watch. "My break's up, I better get going."

            "Okay. 'Bye," Rory said.

            "It was nice, you know, having coffee. 'Bye."

            He left, and Rory faced forward to find Luke looking at her. "What?"

            "Oh, uh, nothing."

            "Okay."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Jess had looked up and seen Rory and Dean entering the diner together. He heard them talking about how it was weird to be getting coffee together, and heard Rory say something about how they were just friends. _Yeah, right. I know what Dean's trying to do, Jess thought._

            "That's your girlfriend, isn't it?" Maggie asked him.

            "What? Oh, yeah."

            "Who's that with her?"

            "Her ex-boyfriend."

            "Ah."

            "They're friends."

            "I see."

            "I stole Rory from him," Jess told Maggie smugly.

            "Really?"

            "Yes," Jess told her, waiting for her to say that he shouldn't be proud of it or something like that.

            Maggie shrugged. "I'm sure she made up her mind on her own."

            Jess looked at Maggie. "I've never met anyone like you before," Jess told her.

            "Well, you know what they say," Maggie told him, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "Everyone's a unique individual."

            Jess smirked. "So. What do you think of Farewell to Arms?" he asked her.

            A few days ago, Maggie and Jess had started talking about books. Jess had recommended it to her, and Maggie had started reading it yesterday. "I like it so far."

            "Really?"

            "Yes. Don't you?"

            "Well, yeah. But - "

            "Hey," he heard Rory's voice.

            He turned around. "Hey."

            Maggie cleared her throat. "Um, Maggie, this is Rory."

            "Hello, Rory. I've heard a lot about you."

            "You have?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at Jess.

            "Yes."

            "Rory, this is Maggie," Jess said quickly.

            "Nice to meet you," Rory said politely.

            "Likewise, my dear."

            "Were you two talking about Farewell to Arms?" Rory asked.

            "Yes," Maggie replied.

            "And you like it?"

            "Yeah. She does," Jess told Rory, smirking.

            "Well, I just can't believe it. I mean, what about………………"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            _There's something weird about this lady, Luke thought for the hundredth time that week, watching her talking with Jess and Rory._

            _How does she get Jess to talk to her? I'm his uncle and I live with him, and I still can't get him to talk to me. His brow furrowed. _Every time Lorelai and Rory come in here, Maggie leaves. And now, Rory walks right up to her, and she just sits there talking to her like she's known her for years. If she's talking to Rory, why did she always leave before, when Rory and Lorelai came in? _He shook his head. _It must just have been a coincidence. Maybe she had somewhere to go._ _

            Luke sneaked another glance at the woman. There was something about her, something he just couldn't put his finger on. And it was driving him crazy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Oh no!" Rory said, looking at her watch.

            "What is it?" Maggie asked.

            "I was supposed to meet my friend Lane a half an hour ago!"

            "Lose track of time?" Jess asked her.

            "You know I always do when I'm talking about books. I'm sorry, I have to go. Maggie, it was nice meeting you."

            "Likewise."

            "I'll see you tonight?" Rory asked, giving Jess a quick kiss.

            He nodded, and she left. Jess had been acting a little strange, but she shrugged it off. He probably just wasn't looking forward to spending an evening with her mother.

            Rory hurried along to Lane's house, then knocked on the door. Mrs. Kim answered. "Rory, you're late," she said.

            "I'm sorry, Mrs. Kim, I lost track of time."

            "That's very irresponsible of you."

            "I know. I'm sorry. Is Lane upstairs?"

            "Yes. But you still have to leave at our agreed time, even though you came late."

            "Okay."

            "All right. You may go up."

            "Thank you."

            Rory went up to Lane's room, trying not to run. "Hey," she said, bursting in.

            "Hey! Where have you been?" Lane asked, running over to her and closing the door.

            "Sorry. I lost track of time," Rory said, taking off her jacket.

            "Where were you?"

            "At the diner."

            "Jess?"

            "Well, yes. But we were talking with this lady about books."

            "What lady?" Lane asked.

            "Her name's Maggie, and………well, actually, that's all I know about her."

            "Hmm."

            "Yeah. Oh, and guess who I ran in to at Doose's?"

            "No."

            "Yes. Dean. He helped me carry my bags home."

            "And?"

            "And then we went to Luke's for a cup of coffee."

            "You went to Luke's?"

            "Yeah."

            "But wasn't Jess there?"

            "Jess knows I'm friends with Dean. He trusts me," Rory said defensively.

            "Okay. So what happened?"

            "Nothing. Jess was talking to Maggie when I got there, and I don't even think he saw me with Dean. After Dean left, I went and talked with Jess and Maggie."

            "Are you sure he didn't see you with Dean?"

            "He didn't say anything if he did."

            "Was he acting weird?"

            "Well - " Rory hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. "I did think he was acting a little strange."

            "So maybe he saw."

            "But then why wouldn't he say anything?"

            "Because he doesn't want to be like Dean."

            "What?"

            "Remember when you and Jess were 'friends', and Dean kept getting all jealous? Jess doesn't want to do that, to show you that he's different from Dean."

            "How do you know?"

            "It's obvious."

            "You've been giving this way too much thought."

            "Well, you know me. I have no life, so I live through you."

            "How are things with Dave?" Rory asked, changing the subject.

            Lane lowered her voice. "Things are good."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah."

            Rory smiled. "I'm happy for you."

            "Thanks."

            Rory picked up a flyer off of Lane's desk. "Ziggy's is having a huge sale," Rory read. "Lane, we should go!" she exclaimed.

            Ziggy's was a  huge, extremely popular music store in Hartford. Rory and Lane had been there a few times, and both of them had really liked it.

            "I don't know if I can. Mama Kim," Lane said by way of explanation.

            "Oh."

            "Besides……..Dave kinda already asked me to go."

            "He did? Oh, yay!"

            "I know!" Lane exclaimed, a smile threatening to split her face.

            "So what are you going to do?"

            "I don't know. I have to think of something to get out of the house."

            "Well, let me know if you need any help," Rory said.

            "Will do."

            Lane paused. "So. How are things going with Jess?"

            Rory smiled. "Good."

            "Good?"

            "Yeah. We've talked, and……..we're closer now."

            "So he's being a good boyfriend now?" Lane asked.

            "Yes."

            Rory paused, looking at Lane. "Why?"

            "Well, no reason. I was just wondering. He's been showing up for school lately."

            "I know."

            "Yeah. I bumped into him in the hallway."

            "You did?"

            "Yeah. I mean, we both walked straight into each other. And he started to say something, but then he looked up and saw that it was me, and I said sorry, and then he just said 'me too' and walked away."

            "Well, he's making an effort. Will you give him a chance?"

            "I guess I could."

            "Thank you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note_****: Review! Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top? And a cherry! Two cherries!**

**_Coming in Chapter 4………_****Luke and Jess go to the Gilmore home for movie night. I wonder what movies Lorelai picked out? **

            ****


	5. I Think I'm In Love With Flannel Junior

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            "Zis ees impossible. I refuse to talk with zees people."

            "Michel. You are paid to talk to these people," Lorelai told him, exasperated.

            Michel stood back, looking from them to Lorelai with his arms crossed and his face in an expression of disgust. "No. I do not think so."

            "Michel, you _will _talk to these people. I am leaving now."

            Lorelai turned around and stalked into the kitchen. "Hey honey, what's the matter?" Sookie asked.

            "Nothing. Just Michel."

            Lorelai plopped down on a stool as Sookie bustled about the kitchen. "Whatcha makin'?" she asked.

            "Hmm? Oh, you know. Cheese soufflé, blueberry pie, potato soup, salmon - "

            "Sounds great."

            "Yeah, well. What's the matter?" Sookie asked, a concerned look on her face.

            "Nothing," Lorelai said.

            "Oh, come on. It's me!"

            "Rory invited Jess to movie night."

            "Oh."

            "And, you know, I told her I'd be nice. I keep telling myself that I should like him. I mean, Rory and Luke do, and they're two of my best friends in the world. But I just don't trust him."

            "Well, he hasn't given you reason to," Sookie told her, stirring the soup.

            "Exactly!" Lorelai said, gesturing wildly with her hands. "He has caused so many problems for Rory, and now I should just forget all that? And he's been so disrespectful to me in the past! But Rory actually likes him."

            "Well, honey, she does seem to care about him. A lot."

            "Yeah, yeah, I know."

            Lorelai sighed, and Sookie looked at her sympathetically. "Maybe he'll surprise you tonight. Maybe you'll have fun."

            "Yeah, right. I don't know what Rory sees in him. She keeps insisting that there's this oh-so-secret, sweet side of him that I don't know," Lorelai said with a slight frown.

            "Maybe there is."

            "Maybe," Lorelai said doubtfully.

            "I'm sure it will all work out," Sookie said, patting her shoulder and then hurrying to check the oven.

            "I asked Luke to come," Lorelai said suddenly.

            Sookie froze for a moment, then closed the oven. "Oh."

            "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"No, that 'oh' had a specific meaning."

"Honey, please. You're driving yourself crazy."

"Well, I couldn't stand the idea of Rory leaving to go to the bathroom or something and me being stuck alone with Jess," Lorelai explained.

            "Oh. Sure," Sookie said, stirring the soup again.

            "Because that could be disastrous."

            "Right," Sookie agreed.

            "I mean, what if he made one of those smart-ass remarks to me? I couldn't be held accountable for my actions."

            "Uh-huh."

            "Okay, stop agreeing with me. Just say what you want to say."

            "I don't want to say anything."

            "Sookie!"

            "Don't you have to be picking up the movies?" Sookie asked.

            She tasted the soup. "It needs more pepper!" she cried.

            "Well, I guess I'll be going."

            "Okay," Sookie said, adding more pepper to the soup.

            "See ya."

            "'Bye, sweetie."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Honey, I'm home!" Lorelai called.

            "I'm in my room!" Rory yelled back.

            Lorelai threw her jacket, purse, and car keys onto the kitchen table, and put the movies on top of the TV before going upstairs. "I'm going to change," she called to Rory, going in to her room.

            "Okay!" Rory called back.

            Lorelai looked through her closet. What to wear, what to wear…….ah, well, it didn't matter. It was just Luke and Jess. 

            _But still. You don't want to look like a slob, Lorelai told herself. _Hmm…..okay, jeans, those are a must……..ugh, where the hell is my red shirt?_ _

            Lorelai picked up a low-cut, black V-neck shirt. _Definitely not it._ She could imagine leaning over to grab some food and giving Luke or Jess a show. She giggled. _Okay, it would be fun to see the expression on their faces, but no, I don't think so_. 

            "Hey Rory, where's my purple shirt?" Lorelai yelled.

            "Under your black pants!" she yelled back.

            "Black pants……black pants……." Lorelai looked around her room, talking to herself out loud. 

            She saw a pair of black pants in a corner and threw them to the side, finding a purple shirt underneath. "Aha! I have found you!" she told the purple shirt.

            She pulled it on, brushed her teeth and hair, then went downstairs to find Rory. "Um, nice outfit," Lorelai said, walking in to Rory's room.

            "What's wrong with it?" Rory asked, looking down at herself self-consciously.

            "Nothing."

            "Mom, tell me! Is there something on the back of my pants or something?"

            "No."

            "Then what?" 

            Rory stood in front of her mirror, looking at herself from all angles. "Rory, sweetie, calm down," Lorelai said. "I've just…….never seen you wear that shirt before."

            Rory was wearing tight blue jeans and a dark blue low-cut top. "It's yours," she told Lorelai.

            "Oh. I thought it looked familiar."

            Rory put on some lip gloss, then turned around to see Lorelai still staring at her. "What?" she asked, exasperated. "Just say whatever it is that you want to say!"

            "Nothing, it's just……….you really like him, don't you."

            It was a statement, not a question. "Yes. I've told you this before."

            "Yeah, but……..this is different."

            "How is this different?"

            Lorelai looked at her sadly. "You're getting all dressed up for him."

            "I'm wearing jeans. How is that getting dressed up?"

            "You're brushing your hair for the millionth time and you're wearing lip gloss, something you almost never do……….especially on movie night," Lorelai told her.

            "So?"

            "You didn't do this when Dean came over for movie night."

            "Yes I did."

            "You didn't go this far."

            "How is this going far?" Rory asked, pointing her brush at Lorelai's face.

            Lorelai sat down on Rory's bed. "You're wearing lip gloss."

            "So?" Rory asked, her voice quieter.

            Lorelai patted a spot on the bed next to her, and Rory sat down. "Tell Mommy what's going on."

            Rory looked at the wall, then at her hands. "I think I'm in love with Jess," she blurted out.

            Lorelai was taken aback. "Oh. Um, okay. You think?"

            Rory hesitated, thinking. "No. I am."

            "Oh."

            "What's that for?"

            "What's what for?"

            "That 'oh'. It meant something."

            "No it didn't," Lorelai said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and avoiding Rory's gaze.

            "Yes it did, and I'm going to find out eventually, so you might as well just tell me."

            "Has Paris been teaching you interrogation skills?"            

            "Nice try. Now tell."

            "I just……….realized something."

            "What?"

            "This……..you and Jess……it's different than you and Dean."

            Lorelai met Rory's eyes, and could see she was thinking about this. "Yeah," Rory said slowly. "It is."

            "So, um……..have you told Jess?"

            "No!" Rory exclaimed quickly, jumping up from where she had been sitting on the bed.

            "Don't bite my head off!" Lorelai said, attempting to speak jokingly. 

            "Sorry. No. I'm not telling him."

            "You're not telling him……..ever?" Lorelai asked hopefully.

            "I don't know. Not for a while."

            "Why?"

            "Remember when Dean told me, and I wasn't ready, and then everything we had got messed up?" Rory asked, starting to pace back and forth.

            Lorelai nodded. "Yeah."

            "Well, I don't want that to happen with me and Jess."

            "Honey, I'm sure he feels the same about you," Lorelai said, trying her best to sound convincing. 

            _I don't think he's ever loved anybody, Lorelai thought secretly to herself._

            "Mom!" Rory stopped pacing and stood facing Lorelai with her hands on her hips.

            "What?" Lorelai asked guiltily.

            "You're lying! You don't think he loves me!"

            "I didn't say that!" Lorelai protested feebly. 

            "I saw it in your face!"

            "Honey - okay, listen, I don't want to fight with you about Jess, okay?"

            She paused and waited for Rory to nod. When she did, Lorelai continued. "Jess - well, he doesn't exactly open up to people. I don't know if he can…….I'm sure he cares very deeply for you, in his own way."

            "Oh my gosh. You don't think Jess _can_ love me!"

            "No, I - that's not what I meant - " Lorelai argued weakly.

            "Yes it is! I can't believe this."

            "Rory, I don't want to fight with you!" Lorelai said, getting up from the bed.

            "You're wrong. You don't know him like I do."

            "You're right, I don't," Lorelai agreed.

            "He's different with me."

            "Honey, I'm sorry," Lorelai said, putting a hand on her arm.

            She led her back to the bed, and they both sat down again. "You're right, I don't know Jess very well at all. But he pushes everyone away. I've never even had the opportunity. I don't even think Luke knows him that well."

            "I know," Rory said quietly.

            Lorelai studied her daughter carefully for a moment. There was something in her tone………"Oh my God," Lorelai said. "You like it!"

            "What?" Rory asked, looking guilty.

            Lorelai turned and looked Rory straight in the eye. "You like that he only lets his guard down around you!"

            "No I don't," Rory said, avoiding Lorelai's eyes.

            Rory got up and went to her dresser, picking up a random bottle of nail polish and examining it closely. "Yes you do!" Lorelai said triumphantly, coming up behind her and grabbing the nail polish from her.

            Lorelai put the nail polish back on the dresser. "You like it that you're the only person he's open with!"

            "I don't know what you're talking about."

            Suddenly the doorbell rang. "Mom. Not a word," Rory said, turning pleading eyes on her.

            Lorelai walked out of Rory's room, Rory closely following, and the two started walking towards the door.

            "You like it!" Lorelai sang loudly.

            "I do not!"

            "You like it!"

            "I do not!"

            Lorelai opened the door. "Hey Beavis. Hey Butthead," she greeted Luke and Jess.

            "Lorelai. You always know just what to say to make a person feel special," Jess told her sarcastically.

            "Why, thank you, flannel junior."

            "I'm not wearing flannel."

            "Yes, but Luke is."

            "So?"

            "So that makes you flannel junior."

            "Oh, well, with logic like that……"

            "Hey," Rory said, interrupting Lorelai and Jess' conversation.

            "What were you two arguing about?" Luke asked as he and Jess came in and Lorelai closed the door behind them.

            Lorelai giggled, and Rory gave her mother a death glare. "Nothing," Rory said quickly.

            "Okay," Luke said, obviously not believing her.

            Lorelai and Luke started walking in to the living room, but Rory and Jess held back. "Hey Dodger," Rory said with a small smile.

            Jess smirked. "Hey Princess."

            Rory scowled at him, pretending she didn't like the nickname. "I know you like it," Jess told her.

            "Do not."

            "Do too."

            "Do not."

            "Do not."

            "Do too - hey!" Rory said, realizing that Jess had tricked her.

            He laughed, smiling a genuine smile. Rory smiled up at him, her eyes bright and happy. She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and kissed him. Jess responded eagerly, running his hands up and down Rory's back. He felt Rory's tongue run along his bottom lip, and he opened his mouth, crushing it with his. He pulled Rory's body up against his, needing to be able to feel her. She complied, pressing herself to him.

            Finally they broke apart, needing to breathe. Rory moved to step back, but Jess held her tight against him. "What was that for?" he whispered in her ear, her face on his shoulder.

            She squeezed her arms around him, giving him a hug, then stepped back. "For giving me a real smile."

            Jess marveled at how such trivial things made her happy. He knew then that he loved her, without a doubt. He didn't say anything to her about it, though. He was afraid that she didn't feel the same, and he didn't want to ruin what they had by saying something stupid.

            "I wanted to ask you something," Rory began slowly.

            "HEY! QUIT MAKING OUT AND GET YOUR BUTTS IN HERE!" Lorelai yelled from the living room.

            "Just a minute!" Rory yelled back.

            She looked back at Jess, then at her hands. "Um, okay, well, you remember earlier today?"

            "Yeah."

            "At Luke's………you know, before I met Maggie?"

            "Yeah."

            "Well - I know you said you don't mind, but I still want to tell you - "

            "I know."

            "See, I ran into - you what?" Rory stopped, surprised, and looked at him with her big blue eyes.

            "I saw you. When you came in."

            "Oh. I thought maybe you had."

            "You did?"

            "You were acting kinda strange.'

            "Was I?"

            "Yeah."

            "Huh."

            "Are you mad?"

            "No."

            "Were you mad?"

            "No."

            "Oh."

            She stopped, looking around uncomfortably. Jess remembered that he had said he would be more open with her. "Maybe I was a little annoyed," Jess said.

            Rory looked at him. "Oh."

            "Not at you. Just - just him in general."

            "Oh."

            "I know I said it doesn't bother me………"

            "But it does?" Rory asked, biting her lower lip.

            Jess shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just so used to hating him."

            "It's my fault. I mean, I was shopping at Doose's, because my mom wanted me to get some junk food, and I ran into him there, and I had a lot of bags to carry, so he helped me carry them home, and then he asked if I wanted to get a coffee, and I said I was going to stop by the diner before I went to Lane's, and he said he'd go with me, and I should have said no, but I didn't want to sound mean, so I said okay, and - "

            "It's not your fault."

            Rory stopped. "Yes it is."

            "No it's not. Anyway, it's done."

            "Yeah. It's done," Rory repeated.

            "So, what movies did your mom pick out?"

            Rory looked at him in surprise. "I can't believe I forgot to ask her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Luke and Lorelai walked into the living room, then noticed that Rory and Jess weren't following. "I'll drag him in here if I have to," Luke told Lorelai.

            "Oh, leave them," Lorelai said, waving a hand.

            "How are you so calm about this when you don't even like Jess?"

            "Because I trust Rory."

            "Oh. Right."

            Lorelai walked into the kitchen. "So, what do you want to eat?"

            "I've seen what kind of food you have."

            "Oh no you haven't!"

            Lorelai whipped open the refrigerator. "Look at this!" she crowed.

            She pulled out a bag of carrots. "We have health food!"

            "One bag of carrots?"

            "Geez, Bugs, don't get crazy on me. Want a PopTart?"

            "No, carrots are fine."

            "Good. Here."

            She threw him the bag and he caught it. "Nice catch," Lorelai complimented him.

            "Thanks."

            Lorelai leaned against the counter, opening a bag of chips. "So what have you been up to? I feel like I haven't talked to you in a while."

            "I saw you this morning."

            "Oh yeah. That seems like a long time ago."

            "Bad day?"

            Lorelai shrugged. "Long day."

            They stood in silence for a moment, until Lorelai spoke up. "Any more about our mystery lady?"

            "I didn't talk to her much today," Luke said. "But Jess and Rory did."

            "Rory met her?" Lorelai asked.

            She pouted. "I'm the only one who didn't meet her!"

            She pointed a finger accusingly at Luke. "And you're the one who said she disappeared whenever we came in. Obviously you were wrong."

            "Yeah," Luke agreed. "Maybe it's just you."

            "Hey!"

            "What movies did you get?" Luke asked, changing the subject. 

            Lorelai grinned. "Come and see."

            "Oh no."

            Luke and Lorelai walked back into the living room. "HEY! QUIT MAKING OUT AND GET YOUR BUTTS IN HERE!" Lorelai yelled to Rory and Jess.

            "Just a minute!" Rory called back.

            Lorelai turned to Luke and wiggled her eyebrows. "They've been there an awfully long time."

            "Want me to - "

            "Geez, Luke, relax!"

            "I am relaxed," he told Lorelai, uncrossing his arms.

            "Are not."

            "Are too."

            "Are not."

            "I am not having this argument with you."

            Lorelai stuck out her tongue at him. "'Cuz you know I'd win."

            Suddenly, Lorelai grabbed his hat. "No hats in my house, Lukey," she told him.

            "Give me my hat."

            "Nu-uh," Lorelai said, shaking her head.

            Luke reached forward to grab it, but Lorelai danced out of his reach. "You can't get it, you can't get it," she sang.

            "Give me my hat!"

            "AH!" Lorelai screamed.

            She ran into the kitchen and Luke chased her. Lorelai found herself in a corner with Luke advancing on her. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Lukey, don't be mean," she told him.

            She held the hat behind her back, and Luke put one arm on the wall, blocking her in. With his other arm he tried to reach behind her and grab his hat. Lorelai yanked it away but overbalanced and started to fall. She fell into Luke, who grabbed her. 

            Lorelai looked up at Luke, whose face was inches away from hers. His arms felt good around her. _No! No, this is Luke! Dirty thoughts, bad!_ she scolded herself.

            Both Luke and Lorelai were breathing fast, when suddenly Rory called from the living room. "Hey, are you guys getting food?"

            "Yeah!" Lorelai called, stepping away from Luke.

            She tossed Luke his hat, then grabbed a bag of cookies and a bag of chips. "Here's your carrots, Bugs," she told Luke, throwing the bag at him.

            "Thanks."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Rory and Jess looked up as Luke and Lorelai came back into the living room, Lorelai carrying bags of junk food and Luke holding a bag of carrots. "Carrots?" Jess asked.

            "Hey, I went shopping for tonight. I bought him a bag of carrots," Rory said.

            "Ah."

            "I was thinking ahead."

            "Do they teach you that at your fancy school?" Jess asked with a smirk.

            Rory and Jess were sitting on the couch, Jess with his arm around Rory. "Okay, something's gotta change, because I can not be next to this," Lorelai told them.

            Rory and Jess both got up and followed Lorelai to the TV. "What movies did you get, Mom?" Rory asked apprehensively.

            Lorelai grinned wickedly. "_Clueless_."

            "No," Jess said.

            "_Cruel Intentions."_

            "No," Luke said.

            "_Charlie's Angels."_

            "NO!" Luke and Jess exclaimed in unison.

            "Oh, come on, I could show you my moves!" Lorelai said, doing a karate kick in the air.

            "What's wrong with _Charlie's Angels_?" Rory asked Jess.

            "Tell me you did not just ask me that."

            "Come on, guys are supposed to like it. Girls in tight outfits kicking butt."

            "Well, when you put it that way…………" Jess trailed off with a smirk.

            Rory poked him in the ribs. "Ow!" he said in mock-hurt.

            "Yay!" Lorelai cheered.

            She turned to Luke. "Please, Lukey?"

            "No."

            "But everyone else wants to."

            "I don't."

            Lorelai stuck her lower lip out as far as it could go. "Luuuuuukey," she pouted.

            "Fine," Luke said, sitting down on the couch. "Just don't call me that anymore."

            "But you know you like it."

            Luke rolled his eyes as Lorelai put in the movie. Jess sat on the opposite side of the couch from Luke, and Rory sat between his legs. Lorelai sat on the floor next to Rory, ripping open a bag of cookies.

            "I get to be Natalie," Lorelai announced.

            "Who?" Luke asked.

            "Cameron Diaz," Rory explained.

            Lorelai grinned. "That makes you Dylan."

            "How does that make me Dylan?" Rory asked.

            Lorelai wiggled her eyebrows. "Because Dylan always falls for the bad guy."

            "I'm hurt. Are you calling me the bad guy?" Jess asked from his spot on the couch.

            Lorelai looked up at him. "Yes."

            Jess shrugged. "Okay."

            "That just leaves you, Luke," Rory told him.

            "I'm not anybody."

            "Hmm, Luke could be…….." Lorelai trailed off.

            "CHARLIE!" Lorelai and Rory exclaimed in unison.

            "No," Luke told them.

            "Yes," Lorelai answered.

            "No."

            "Yes."

            "Mom, the movie's starting!" Rory said, putting an end to their squabble.

            "Yay!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "That guy is ugly," Lorelai told Rory.

            "Yeah, he is. Look at his hair!"

            "His hair? Let's not even go there. I was just talking about his face!"

            They were about halfway through the movie, and when they weren't imitating the fights on TV, Lorelai and Rory were judging the guys in the movie or critiquing the girls' outfits. _Why did I ever agree to this?_ Luke asked himself.

            "Lukey! It's your part!" Lorelai told him.

            "Lorelai, I am NOT going to say Charlie's lines."

            "Oh, come on!"

            "No."

            "You're no fun."

            Lorelai turned back to watching the television. "Oh my God, look at those outfits," Lorelai told Rory.

            "Could they be any sluttier?" Rory asked.

            "Yes," came Jess' reply.

            "You are not allowed to critique outfits," Lorelai told him.

            "Why?" 

            "Offspring?" Lorelai prompted, turning to Rory.

            "Because you are a guy and therefore have no say," Rory recited.

            Lorelai nodded. "Exactly."

            Jess rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go get some water," Luke said.

            "Me too."

            Jess and Luke got up and went to the kitchen. "Why are we here?" Jess asked Luke as they stood around in the kitchen.

            "We were stupid?"

            "Huh."

            "What?" Luke asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

            "Nothing."

            "Just tell me. Please, tell me anything to stop me from thinking about this movie."

            Jess shrugged. "Okay. I came to see Rory. Why'd you come?"

            "Lorelai asked me to."

            "Uh-huh."

            "What?"

            "Nothing."

            "You're impossible."

            "Did you know you've said that five times already today?"

            "Is it getting through to you?"

            "No."

            "Thought so."

            They stood there in silence again. "Everyone knows," Jess said, breaking the silence.

            "Everyone knows what?"

            "That you like Lorelai."

            "She's my friend."

            "Uh-huh."

            "She is!"

            "Then how come when she says jump, you jump?"

            Luke didn't reply. "I'm going back in," Jess said.

            He turned and walked back to the living room, leaving Luke alone with his thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Looks like your plan didn't work," Jess said, coming in to the living room and plopping down on the couch next to Lorelai.

            "Where's Luke?"

            "Kitchen. Rory?"

            "Bathroom."

            "Huh."

            They sat in silence. "What plan?" Lorelai finally asked him.

            "Oh, you know. The one where you invite Luke to come so that even if Rory left, you still wouldn't be alone with me."

            "I don't know what you're talking about."

            "Oh, come on, Natalie. I know I'm right."

            Lorelai looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Well, maybe," she admitted. "Is there anything wrong with that? We don't exactly get along."

            Jess shrugged. "Nope."

            "Oh."

            Jess didn't say anything, and there was silence for another moment before Lorelai started talking again. Jess suppressed a smirk; he knew she couldn't stay quiet for long.

            "How come it doesn't bother you?" she asked him.

            "What?" he asked, pretending he had no idea what she was talking about.

            "How come it doesn't bother you that nobody except Rory and Luke likes you?" she asked bluntly.

            Jess shrugged. "I don't need anybody else."

            "Come on, everybody wants to be liked."

            "No. Not everybody."

            Lorelai sat cross-legged on the couch, facing Jess, who kept looking straight ahead. "So you really don't care if people like you."

            "You get extra points for that one."

            "You know, can you stop it, for just a minute? Can you behave like a normal human being for just one minute?"

            "Okay."

            "Okay?"

            He nodded. "Okay."

            Lorelai paused, looking at him, then jumped right in. "I'm not one to call my daughter a liar, but when it comes to you, I think she is. I think she lied to me, because I don't know what she sees in you."

            Jess shrugged. "Me neither."

            Lorelai looked taken aback. Was he admitting that he thought Rory was too good for him? "Oh."

            "Hey, Mom, I'm back, start the movie up - " Rory stopped when she saw Lorelai and Jess on the couch.

            She looked from one to the other as Luke walked in. "Is it over?" he asked.

            "What were you two talking about?" Rory asked her mother and Jess.

            "Nothing," Jess replied.

            "I don't believe you, but okay."

            "You two were talking?" Luke asked.

            "Um, no. I was just talking to myself, like I always do. Ready for the movie, Charlie?" Lorelai said with a grin.

            Lorelai put the movie in, and when she turned around to sit back down on the floor next to Rory, her gaze caught Jess'. They looked at each other for a moment, and Jess gave her a slight nod.

            Lorelai didn't know what exactly had happened, but suddenly she was very curious about what Jess was really like.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note: _****Review! Review, please, review! I'm so excited. I love writing this story, and I hope you guys like reading it! The only way I'll know if you do is if you review, so please review!**

**_Coming in Chapter 5_****………Jess calls Rory to go on an actual date, and at Friday night dinner Lorelai tells her parents a lie that could blow up in her face!**

            ****


	6. Cleopatra, Queen of de Nile

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            "Mom?" Rory called as she entered her house after school.

            She went to the answering machine and pressed Play. _Hey babe, it's me. Michel's being an ass and we're overbooked, so I probably won't be home until dinner. I feel like Chinese - what about you? Let's go to Al's. See you later. I love you._

            _Well, now I can get my homework done without any distractions, Rory thought._

            She spread it out over the kitchen table and got to work. 

            An hour later she was just finishing up when the phone rang. "Hello?"

            "Hey," came Jess' voice.

            Rory smiled into the phone. "Hey Dodger. What's up?"

            "Nothing. I wanted to ask you something."

            "Okay."

            "You know that huge record store in Hartford?"

            "Ziggy's? Yeah, Lane and I go there all the time. I love that place."

            "Well, they're having this huge blowout sale or something. We could probably get some great deals, and I, uh, wanted to know if you want to go."

            Rory grinned. "Of course I do. When is it?"

            "Saturday."

            "Great. It'll be fun."

            "JESS!" Rory heard Luke yelling in the background.

            "COMING!" he yelled back. 

            "Isn't it usually slow around this time? Why's Luke yelling at you?" Rory asked.

            "Oh, uh, I don't know. I gotta go, okay? See ya around."

            "Okay. 'Bye."

            Rory hung up the phone, confused and excited. Excited because Ziggy's was a really cool place and Jess had actually called her on the phone to make it a date with her. But confused because of what had happened at the end. She knew Jess was lying to her. Why _was_ Luke yelling at him? She wondered if Jess had gotten into trouble again. She hoped not.

            Rory looked at her watch. Her mom wasn't going to be home for a few hours, and she had nothing else to do. She decided to head over to Luke's.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Hey Maggie," Jess said, coming over to her table.

            He saw that Luke had already brought Maggie her usual tea. "Hello Jess."

            "Read anything good lately?"

            Maggie shrugged. "Not really. You?"

            Jess sat down across from her. "I read this book for school. It was okay."

            Maggie looked at him. "You read for school? What was the book called?"

            "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest."

            "I've read that."

            "You have?"

            Maggie nodded. "I didn't like it."

            "Why?"

            "It was too anti-female."

            Jess nodded. "Yeah, I'd have to agree with that."

            Luke came over to the table. "Need anything else?" he asked, even though he knew she didn't.

            "No. Thank you, Mr. Danes. To what do I owe the pleasure of having both of you here at my table?"

            Jess looked around. "You're our favorite customer at the moment."

            Maggie also looked around. "Also your only customer at the moment."

            "Hey, I was trying to put a positive spin on things," Jess said.

            Maggie smirked at Jess, and once again, Luke got the nagging feeling that there was just something about her he should know. 

            Noticing that Luke was still standing there, Maggie gestured to an empty seat with her hand. "Join us, Mr. Danes. We were just talking about a book Jess read for school."

            "Call me Luke," Luke said gruffly, sitting down.

            He turned to Jess. "You read a book for school?"

            Jess looked uncomfortable, but nodded. "Good," Luke said, looking extremely pleased.

            "Do you have to write one of those papers teachers always assign at the end of a book?" Maggie asked him.

            "The teacher might have assigned a paper," Jess said casually.

            "Are you going to do it?" Maggie pressed.

            Jess shrugged. "Probably not."

            "Why not?"

            "Papers aren't my thing."

            "Oh."

            Maggie looked like she was going to say something else, but she didn't. "What?" Jess finally asked.

            "Well, I guess I misjudged you. I thought you were one of those people who wants others to know your opinions on issues. You know, stand up for your opinions."

            "I do."

            "Oh."

            "What?" Jess asked again.

            Maggie looked at him innocently. "Well, I bet you're not one of those people who participates in class a lot. So how is your teacher supposed to know your opinions on the issues dealt with in the novel if you don't write the paper?"

            Luke could tell that Jess was thinking about what Maggie had said. He admired the way Maggie got through to Jess. She always had Jess coming to her, not the other way around.

            "Could I have some more tea, please, Luke?" Maggie asked, not giving Jess a chance to reply to her question.

            Luke had to suppress a smile. Maggie always gave Jess something to think about, then jumped to a new subject as if nothing had happened. And it usually produced positive results.

            "Coming right up," Luke answered.

            He got up from the table to get Maggie her tea when he saw the door open and Rory enter. "Hey Rory," he said.

            "Hey Luke. Can I have some coffee?"

            "I guess."

            He poured her the coffee, then made some tea. "Who's the tea for?" Rory asked.

            "Maggie," Luke said, jerking his head in the direction of her table. 

            "Oh, I didn't even see her over there," Rory said.

            She looked and saw Jess sitting at Maggie's table. They appeared to be deep in conversation about something. Grabbing her coffee, she followed Luke over as he brought Maggie her tea. "Here you go," he said, giving Maggie her tea and sitting down again.

            Rory looked at Luke with ill-concealed surprise. He talked to Maggie too? This was the way he and Jess spent their afternoons? She couldn't wait to see what her mother made of that piece of information.

            "Hi," Rory said, feeling a little out of place.

            Both Jess and Maggie looked up. "Hey," Jess said with a smile.

            Maggie also smiled. "Hello, Rory, dear. Please, sit down."

            Rory sat down in the only empty chair at the table, which was next to Maggie and across from Luke. "We were just talking about One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," Maggie told her.

            "Oh, I remember reading that. I didn't like it."

            "Neither did I. Jess just read it for school."

            "You did?" Rory asked Jess.

            Looking uncomfortable once again, Jess nodded. Rory gave him a big smile. "Did you like it?" she asked.

            Jess shrugged. "It was okay."

            "I hated the way Kesey portrayed the Big Nurse. It was like he was saying that women shouldn't be in power because they would become too fanatical and unreasonable," Rory said.

            "And what about those other girls, the ones McMurphy snuck in to the ward?" Maggie added. "Ken Kesey portrayed the women in that books as either being cheap or cruel and powerhungry."

            "Exactly," Rory agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Ring the doorbell," Lorelai told Rory the next night.

            They were in Hartford for Friday night dinner. "You ring it. Mom, you've got to get over this fear."

            "I'm not afraid," Lorelai said, backing away from the door a step.

            Rory rang the doorbell and grabbed her mother's arm. "Where do you think you're going, missy?" she asked Lorelai.

            "Hello, my name is Sandy. How may I be of service?" the maid asked, answering the door.

            "Well, Sandy, you could dress like a chicken and - "

            "We're here to see my grandparents," Rory cut her off.

            "Right this way."

            "Behave!" Rory whispered to Lorelai as they followed Sandy. "We're trying to get out of next week's dinner, remember?"

            "Oh yeah. Ah, the thought alone might be able to get me through the night. That and a couple of martinis."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Later that night, Rory and Lorelai were sitting at the dining room table with Emily and Richard. "So, Rory," Richard began. "Have you received any acceptance letters from any colleges yet?"

            "No, Grandpa," Rory said.

            "Oh. Well, I'm sure you will soon."

            "Of course she will, Richard. Lorelai, please pass me the rolls," Emily said.

            There was silence for a moment. "Uh, Mom, Dad," Lorelai began. "I have to tell you something."

            "What is it?" Richard asked.

            "Well, as I'm sure you know, next Friday is Valentine's Day, and Rory and I won't be able to make dinner."

            "Why not?" Emily demanded.

            "We have plans," Lorelai told her.

            "Rory, I thought you broke up with that Dean fellow," Richard said.

            "I did," Rory said, hoping against hope that they wouldn't ask her about Jess.

            "So then what's the problem?" Emily asked.

            "I'm, uh, going out with my boyfriend."

            "You have a new boyfriend?" Emily asked. "How long have you been dating him?"

            "Uh……a few months?" 

            "You've been dating this boy for a few months, and this is the first you've mentioned him?"

            "Yeah, well, Mom, now you know, so, next Friday, we won't be here, 'kay?" Lorelai said, cutting her mother off.

            Rory shot her a grateful glance, but that didn't deter Emily. "What's his name?" she asked Rory.

            _So much for having a peaceful dinner, Rory thought. "Jess," she answered._

            "How many Jess's live in Stars Hollow?" Richard asked.

            "Just one," Rory replied meekly.

            "So you're telling me that this is the same one who broke your wrist? Lorelai, honestly, how can you allow this?" Emily exclaimed, upset.

            "Mom, Rory can date whoever she wants."

            "The car accident wasn't Jess' fault. There was an animal in the road, and - "

            "This is unbelievable. Rory, we forbid you to see him," Richard said.

            Lorelai stood up. "No, you don't. You can _not_ forbid Rory to see him. They are dating, I'm okay with it, and therefore, _you have to be okay with it. Come on, Rory, let's go."_

            "No, Lorelai, stop," Emily called after them.

            Emily walked up to them. "Please, sit down and have dessert. We're not going to see you next week, don't leave early tonight. Not another word about - him."

            Lorelai looked at Rory, who shrugged, so Lorelai turned and resignedly followed Emily. They quietly ate their dessert, no one saying a word, until Emily looked like she was about to burst. 

            "What is it, Mom?" Lorelai finally asked warily.

            "What are _you_ doing on Valentine's Day, Lorelai?"

            "None of your business."

            "Lorelai, you're my daughter. Of course it's my business."

            "I have plans."

            Emily looked at her skeptically. "I don't believe you. You're just making this up because you don't want to have dinner with us without Rory, aren't you? Honestly, Lorelai, sometimes - "

            "I'm not making it up. I have a date," Lorelai lied.

            "Oh? With who?" Richard asked.

            Lorelai glanced at Rory, who raised her eyebrows at her. "With, um, Luke," Lorelai said, blurting out the first name that came to her mind.

            Lorelai saw Rory's eyes widen and shot her a look. "The diner man?" Emily asked.

            "Uh, yeah."

            "Oh."

            Emily went back to eating her piece of pie. "What do you mean, 'oh'?" Lorelai asked. 

            "Nothing. Just oh."

            "Mom, just tell me. What aren't you saying?"

            "Yes, Emily, what aren't you saying?" Richard asked, curious as well.

            "Nothing. Just that it's about time."

            Lorelai dropped her fork. "What?"

            Lorelai heard Rory giggle, and glared at her. Rory quickly started coughing to cover her laughter.

            "Oh, Lorelai, please. The man does everything for you. Who's the first one you call when something bad happens? Who came with you when Richard was in the hospital? He's obviously in love with you. From what I've heard, your whole town knows it."

            "Mom, that is so - that's not true - what - n-n-no!" Lorelai stuttered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So - " 

            "I don't want to talk about it," Lorelai said.

            Lorelai and Rory were driving home from Hartford. _I can't believe I said Luke. Luke! Why didn't I just make someone up? Why did I use an actual person? And my mother, she's crazy! Where does she get these ideas? One day in the diner and suddenly she just knows that Luke's in love with me? That's ridiculous! Okay, so I do call Luke if I need help, but that's because we're friends. Friends do that. I call Sookie, too. Because she's my friend. Just like Luke is my friend. He's just my friend. Right? No, of course! Yes, right! He's my friend!_

            "Luke and I are friends," Lorelai told Rory.

            "Uh-huh."

            "I mean, yeah, I call him when I need help, but that's what friends are for."

            "Right."

            "My mother's crazy."

            "Mmm."

            "She spends one day in the diner, and suddenly she thinks she knows how Luke feels about me?"

            "Hmm."

            "Exactly. I mean, Luke and I are friends. There is no Luke feeling anything for me. I mean, except friendship. Because we're friends. We're good friends. You know, I think Luke is one of my best friends."

            "Ah."

            "Okay, stop! Just say what you want to say!" Lorelai said, turning to look at Rory.

            "Mom, keep your eyes on the road," Rory told her.

            There was silence for a moment, until Rory asked her mother a question. "What happened between you and Luke at movie night?"

            "What are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about. Crazy child. I think my mother's craziness is rubbing off on you. Poor thing. It's a good thing we're not going to dinner next week. You need to recover. Because - "

            "Mom! Just answer my question."

            "Well……we might have……we might have had a weird little moment."

            "What happened?" Rory prompted.

            "Well, I took his hat, and he chased me and tried to get it back, and I kinda got stuck in a corner, and…….." Lorelai trailed off.

            "And what? Come on, you can't leave me there! Tell, tell!"

            "Okay, okay, stop rushing me! So he cornered me, and I had his hat behind my back, and he reached behind me to grab it, and I kinda fell, and he caught me, and……I don't know, something just _happened_. I mean, we were really close, and then you called us."

            "Oooh,  bad timing."

            "What do you mean, bad timing?"

            "He was probably going to kiss you!"

            Lorelai slammed on the brakes. "What?!"

            "Mom, come on. Grandma was right. Everyone knows that Luke likes you. And I think you do, too."

            "I do not! Luke is my _friend_," Lorelai said, stressing the word.

            "Then how come you always flirt with him? How come he and Max were always fighting in front of you? It was because they both liked you, Mom. How come Rachel didn't like you? Because she knew Luke did. How come when you and Luke were in that fight, you got really sad?"

            "Because he's my friend," Lorelai said in a smile voice.

            "Cleopatra, it's time to stop. Listen to me. Luke. Likes. You. And I think you like him, too."

            "I am not in denial!"

            "Sure you're not. Let's just go home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Mom, what are you doing? Jess is gonna be here any second!" Rory said, coming out of her room and walking in to the kitchen the next afternoon.

            "So? I don't care if he sees me in my robe."

            "You know, you're going to have to go into Luke's sometime soon. You can't avoid him just because you know the truth."

            "Luke and I are friends! And you are not my child. My child would never be so cruel."

            "Tough love."

            "Call it what you want," Lorelai scoffed.

            Lorelai looked at Rory. "You look nice," she told her.

            "Thanks."

            Rory was wearing jeans, a black shirt, and black shoes with a funky heel - "Hey! Those are my shoes!" Lorelai said.

            "I need to borrow them."

            "Okay. But then I get to borrow something of yours."

            Rory and Lorelai heard the doorbell. "I'll get it," Rory said.

            "Not getting rid of me that easy. I'm coming to the door too," Lorelai told her.

            She opened the door, still in her robe. "Hiya, Jessie."

            Jess smirked, looking at her. "Hiya, Lorie."

            "RORY! I'M GONNA KILL HIM!" Lorelai shrieked.

            Rory stuck out her arm to keep her mother from moving forward. "Mom, just breathe. In, out. Relax. Forget it ever happened."

            Rory turned to Jess. "You're in trouble," Rory muttered.

            "I have to go upstairs now and cry myself to sleep," Lorelai said.

            "Okay, Mom. 'Bye."

            "'Bye sweetie. Don't do anything I would do. And Jess, this time, just run the damn animal over!"

            "Mom!" Rory exclaimed, embarrassed.

            She quickly followed Jess out to his car, getting in to the front seat. "Do I even want to know why your mom was still in her robe?" Jess asked as he started the car.

            "She's in denial."

            "About what?"

            Rory sighed. "Okay, you can't tell anyone, especially Luke."

            "Right, because Luke and I tell each other everything."

            Rory smacked him on the arm. "Hey, be careful, I'm driving," he said.

            "Then be nice. We were at my grandparents' house last night for dinner, and we told them we couldn't come to dinner next week because we had Valentine's Day plans."

            "Uh-huh."

            "So of course, being my grandparents, starting asking us a million questions. Oh, they know I'm dating you."

            "That must have been a nice shock for them."

            "Yeah, well, at least they haven't asked to meet you yet."

            "They're going to want to meet me?"

            Rory shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. Well, yeah, probably. Anyway, Grandma called Mom on her bluff, so Mom had to tell her who she had plans with on Valentine's Day."

            Rory paused. "And?" Jess asked, looking at her sideways.

            "She said she had plans with Luke."

            "Huh. You think he'd tell me. I mean, we tell each other everything."

            "Jess! This is serious. Anyway, Grandma told Mom that it was about time, because everyone knows that Luke is in love with her, and Mom kinda started freaking out."

            Jess smirked, and Rory continued. "And then on the ride home, she kept talking about how crazy Grandma was, but I told her that Grandma was right and that everyone _does know, and then she __really freaked out, and - "_

            Rory stopped and looked out the window. "What?" Jess asked.

            "On movie night, my mom and Luke had a moment."

            "A moment?"

            "Yeah. They almost kissed."

            "Wow. That is a moment."

            "Yeah."

            "How come they didn't?"

            "Because that's when I called them back to the living room! Stupid, stupid!"

            "Hey, you didn't know. Don't call my girlfriend stupid. It's bad for my image."

            Rory smiled a little, then sat straight up in her seat. "Oooh, we're here!" she said excitedly.

            Jess parked the car, and the two of them walked out. "Where do you want to start?" he asked her.

            "Hmm……..let's see if I can find the Clash."

            "Okay."

            Jess put his arm around Rory's shoulders as they walked. "Oooh, Cornershop!" Rory said, stopping.

            "Rory?" she heard a voice behind her.

            Rory turned around. "Lane!" Rory exclaimed. "You got to come!"

            "My mom thinks I'm doing volunteer work for the church."

            "I see. Hey Dave," Rory said.

            Dave was standing next to Lane. "Hey Rory."

            "Um, you guys know Jess?"

            Dave nodded. "Hi," Lane said.

            "Hey," Jess said shortly.

            "What are you looking for?" Lane asked Rory.

            "The Clash. But Lane, look, Cornershop!"

            "Oooh, let me see!" Lane said, excited.

            Rory and Lane started talking excitedly, leaving Dave and Jess. "So," Dave said.

            There was a silence. _Maybe you should make an effort_, Jess told himself. _But with this loser? He probably doesn't even like good music_.

            "Whatcha got there?" Jess asked Dave, gesturing towards the albums Dave was holding.

            "Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Television, and Black Flag."

            "Really? I like all of those," Jess said, sounding extremely surprised.

            _Who knew that this loser had good taste in music? Jess thought._

            "Yeah? What else do you like?" Dave asked, sounding genuinely interested.

            "Operation Ivy, Rancid, Sex Pistols………."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "That was fun," Rory said to Jess as they were driving back to Stars Hollow.

            "It actually wasn't too bad," Jess said.

            He and Rory had ended up spending the afternoon with Lane and Dave, and Jess had actually found that he could talk to them about music.

            Rory laughed. "I thought you and Lane were going to kill each other for a second, there," she said.

            "That was _not_ my fault," Jess said defensively as he pulled into the Gilmore driveway. "How was I supposed to know how touchy she was about Belle and Sebastian?"

            "I know. It was fine. She calmed down," Rory said.

            She couldn't stop smiling. Jess took the keys out of the ignition. "What are you smiling about?" he asked, turning to face her.

            "Today was really good," Rory said.

            "Yeah. Today was really good," Jess repeated, leaning forward to kiss her.

            They kissed and when they pulled apart, Rory banged her arm on the dashboard. "Ow!" she cried out.

            "Aw, poor baby," Jess said with a smirk.

            Rory opened the car door and got out, then walked to the other side of the car and opened Jess' door. "Come on," she said, pulling on his arm.

            "Where are we going?" he asked, getting up and closing the car door behind him.

            "Inside, where we can kiss without me hurting myself. My mom's not home."

            Jess followed Rory into the house. "Want something to eat?" she asked him.

            "No," Jess said, sitting down on the couch.

            "Okay."

            Rory sat on the couch next to him. Jess wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, then kissed her. Lorelai wasn't home, so they didn't have to worry about anyone suddenly interrupting.

            Jess ran his tongue along Rory's bottom lip, demanding entrance, and Rory complied. She opened her mouth and her tongue dueled with Jess' before her hands started to wander. She ran a hand slowly up his arm, liking the feel of his muscle under her hand. She continued upwards and, reaching behind his neck, played with his hair.

            Rory moaned as Jess started kissing her neck. He smiled at the sound, then moved back to her lips, which he could never resist. His kisses were hard and demanding, but Rory always matched them with her own kisses, something which had surprised Jess in the beginning.

            But he was used to it now, and his own hands started to wander. He lightly ran a hand down Rory's side, then slipped a hand under the front of her shirt. She didn't protest, and pressed herself closer to him. Sometimes he found it hard to believe that Rory actually went this far with him, but he was too busy enjoying it at the moment. 

            Suddenly Rory pulled away. "I hear my mom's car," she said breathlessly.

            Jess reached for the remote and turned on the TV, and they both tried to steady their breathing and appear nonchalant. 

            "Rory, I'm - oh hi," Lorelai said, coming in the door and seeing Rory and Jess sitting on the couch.

            She eyed them, then smirked. "Like I don't know what you were doing."

            "Mom!" Rory exclaimed.

            Lorelai waved a hand. "Relax, offspring. Did you guys have fun? Not too many details, please," Lorelai said, plopping down on a chair in the living room.

            "Yeah. We ran into Lane and Dave there," Rory told her.

            "Lane was there?"

            "No, she was doing volunteer work for her church."

            "Okay. Gotcha."

            Rory glanced at Jess, then looked back at Lorelai. "Mom, we're gonna go," she said.

            "'Kay. Dinner?"

            "Luke's," Rory said firmly.

            "But - "

            "Yes."

            "What if - "

            "No."

            Lorelai pouted. "You're mean!"

            She pointed a finger at Jess. "It's your fault she's mean."

            "My fault?"

            "Yes. She's your girlfriend."

            "She's your daughter."

            Lorelai giggled. "Actually, Rory, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," she began.

            Rory rolled her eyes and Jess smirked. "Goodbye, Mother," she said, walking out the door with Jess.

            "'Bye honey!" Lorelai called.

            Lorelai was about to go upstairs when the phone rang. "Hello?"

            "Lor? It's me."

            "Chris. Hi."

            "I wanted to - is Rory there?"

            "No."

            "Oh."

            "She should be back later, if you just want to call then," Lorelai told him.

            "No, I can't later. I just wanted to tell her that she has a new baby sister."

            Lorelai sat down on the stairs. "Oh."

            "Yeah. Sherry had her this morning."

            "Did she really name her Georgia?" Lorelai asked.

            "Yeah. We're calling her Gigi."

            "Oh. Well. Okay. I'll tell her."

            "Okay. Well, uh…….."

            "'Bye Chris."

            "Goodbye Lorelai."

            Lorelai clicked the phone off, then just sat there staring at it. This was it. Chris had his new family now. Pretty soon he and Sherry would be getting married.

            _Shouldn't I feel weirder about all of this? Lorelai wondered. It was a bit of a shock now that the baby had actually been born, but she was quickly getting over it. _I guess I really have moved on. A part of me will always love Chris, but that's because he was my first love and he's Rory's father. I'm really, really ready to move on_._

            Lorelai stood up, proud of herself. She really was ready to move on.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note:_**** Review, review, review! Do a little dance…….make a little love…..review tonight……..okay, sorry, that was lame. Oh, and you can always email me at LuckyJ525@aol.com with your comments on the story.**

**_Coming in Chapter 6_****……..It's Valentine's Day! What will Rory and Jess end up doing?**

            ****


	7. Use The Gilmore Charm

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            "So, Mom, what are you and Luke doing today?" Rory asked Lorelai on Friday morning.

            It was Valentine's Day, and Rory had plans with Jess that night. "Haha, very funny. Don't say a word about it to him. I didn't tell him what I said to my parents," Lorelai told Rory.

            "Okay. At least you go in there again now."

            "Yeah, uh-huh," Lorelai said distractedly.

            Rory looked at her mother sympathetically. Ever since Emily and Rory had told Lorelai about Luke's feelings for her, Lorelai had walked around as if she was in a daze. _Dad's news probably didn't help_, Rory thought.

            Although, on second thought, Rory didn't think that Gigi was the problem. After she had gotten over the shock, Lorelai had seemed fine. It looked like she was finally moving on.

            "Ready to go to Luke's?" Rory asked.

            "Of course. Coffee!" Lorelai said, perking up.

            Rory was glad her mother was beginning to act like her old self again. It had been weird for the last few days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So what are you two doing tonight?" Lorelai asked Rory and Jess.

            Jess had come over to pour them coffee. "No," he told Rory.

            "I didn't put her up to it!" she said, defending herself.

            "Put me up to what?" Lorelai asked, confused.

            Rory pouted. "He won't tell me what we're doing tonight."

            Lorelai gasped. "You won't? What kind of boyfriend are you?"

            "A mysterious one," Jess told her.

            Rory stuck her lower lip out even further. "Good girl," Lorelai told her.

            "What did she do?" Luke asked, coming over.

            "Look at that face," Lorelai said.

            Rory stuck out her lower lip and gave Luke big eyes. "See that?" Lorelai continued proudly. "That, my friend, is half of the Gilmore charm."

            She paused, then looked at Luke and Jess accusingly. "Aren't you going to ask what the other half is?"

            "No," they both replied.

            "The other half," Lorelai plowed on, pretending she hadn't heard them, "is our incredible wit."

            Jess smirked and Luke rolled his eyes. "Right," Luke said.

            "It is! Right, child of mine?"

            "Right," Rory agreed.

            "Lukey, I need coffee," Lorelai said, changing the subject.

            "No."

            "Luuuuuukey," Lorelai whined.

            She pouted and looked at Luke with big eyes. "Please?" she asked.

            "Oh, all right."

            He left, and Lorelai turned to Rory. "See? That's how it's done."

            She gestured to Jess. "Use it on him, baby. He won't be able to hold out. Astound him with your beauty, and use the Gilmore charm to get answers out of him."

            "I am right here, you know," Jess told Lorelai.

            "Gee, how did I miss that sarcastic attitude of yours staring me in the face?" Lorelai asked, turning to him.

            "And you call me sarcastic?" Jess asked.

            "Jess," Rory began.

            She waited until he looked at her, then gave him big eyes. She leaned towards him. "Can't you tell me where we're going?"

            "It's not going to work," Jess told her.

            Rory started to pout, and Jess turned around. "I'll see you tonight," he called.

            Rory turned back to her mother defeatedly, propping her chin up in her hands. "Well, that didn't work."

            "Oh, it would have. See how he left? He knew if he stayed any longer, he'd give in. Still, you'll have to work on him. Look how well I have Luke conditioned. HEY BURGER MAN, GIMME SOME MORE COFFEE!" Lorelai yelled across the diner.

            "Yeah, but Jess is my boyfriend. Why do you have to condition Luke? I thought that was something we only did with boyfriends."

            "You're just going to keep throwing the whole you-want-Luke thing back in my face, aren't you," Lorelai said to her.

            "Yes," Rory said resolutely.

            "You're the spawn of the devil."

            "Yes I am. 'Bye Satan. Gotta get to school."

            "'Bye spawn."

            Jess came over and followed Rory out the door. "I'm going to school!" he yelled to Luke.

            "You know what's weird?" Luke said, coming over to Lorelai. "That's not a joke anymore."

            "You mean he's been going to school?" Lorelai asked, surprised.

            "Yup."

            "How'd you manage that?"

            Luke shrugged. "I think it's Rory's influence. Or maybe Maggie. Or maybe both. It's not me."

            "Sure it is. You made that rule, remember? You told him he has to graduate."

            "Yeah, but - " Luke stopped. "You can't tell Rory this, okay?"

            "What?"

            "Jess read a book for school, and he actually did a paper about it."

            "What?!" Lorelai exclaimed. "Doesn't Rory know?"

            "I don't think so."

            "_You got him to do this?"_

            "No……….I think it was Maggie."

            "This Maggie is sounding more and more interesting. One of these days, just you wait. I'm going to catch all of you by surprise and just show up, and then BAM!" Lorelai banged her hand on the table. "She won't be able to escape me, and I'll meet her."

            "Don't hurt my table."

            "Did it ever occur to you that I hurt my hand?"

            "Yes."

            "And you don't care? What if I am severely injured?" Lorelai said, cradling her hand.

            "Then you wouldn't be talking so much," Luke said, getting up to leave the table.

            "Oh, come on, it's part of the Gilmore charm."

            Luke scowled at her, but poured her some coffee. "I love you!" Lorelai cried happily.

            The words slipped out before Lorelai realized what she had said. She had said it to Luke before, but now that she knew what she knew……….now it was different. Luke never said anything to her about it, and he didn't this time either. 

            However, this time, one thing _was_ different. Lorelai snuck a glance at Luke, and she saw _it_. She saw it in his eyes. Emily and Rory had been telling her the truth. A part of her had tried her hardest to ignore it, but another part of her had always known. And now………..she had seen it with her own eyes. 

            Lorelai didn't know what to do, so she got up and ran out of the diner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Tell me."

            "No."

            There was a pause. Then Rory said again, "Tell me."

            "No," Jess repeated.

            "Tell - "

            "No."

            Rory pouted. "Oh, no. You're not using that on me," Jess told her.

            It had become routine now for Jess to wait with Rory for her bus. The whole time they had been walking to the bus stop, Rory had been trying to get Jess to tell her what they were going to be doing that night.

            "But - "

            Jess stopped walking, grabbed Rory, and kissed her. "I'm not telling you," he breathed into her ear.

            He felt Rory shiver. "Okay," she said, leaning in for another kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Dean had been on his way to school when he saw Jess and Rory walking. Jess had his arm slung around Rory's shoulders, and they appeared to be arguing about something. Rory kept talking, and Jess would just say one word to her, over and over, smirking.

            He saw Rory pout, and then he saw Jess stop, grab Rory, and kiss her. Dean could see him whisper something in Rory's ear, and then Rory said something back before kissing him again.

            Dean scowled. He knew that he was the one that had broken up with Rory, and he knew that he should stop watching them because it was kinda weird, but it was like one of those bad reality shows that you want to stop watching but you just can't.

            Dean hated seeing Rory with Jess. He had always known she had a thing for Jess, but she thought her little fling with him would be over by now, she would realize how much she loved and missed _him_, and they would get back together. He wasn't sure how much longer he could wait before he beat Jess to a pulp. That, however, might ruin his chances of getting back together with Rory.

            Dean sighed, then continued on his way to school.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Sookie!" Lorelai called frantically as she made her way into the kitchen. "Sookie!"

            "What is it? What's wrong?" Sookie asked, coming up to Lorelai.

            "I saw it."

            "Um, okay. What's it?" Sookie asked, a confused expression on her face.

            Lorelai started pacing and wringing her hands. "Luke. This morning. In his eyes. I saw _it."_

            "Oh, his secret love for you? You finally saw it?" Sookie asked excitedly.

            Lorelai stopped pacing and looked at Sookie. "Sookie! How does _everyone except me know about this? My own mother knew!"_

            "Oh, no, honey, not everyone knows."

            "Did you know?" Lorelai asked demandingly as Jackson walked in to the kitchen.

            "Know what?"

            "That Luke liked me."

            "Lorelai, everyone knows that. Honey, what do you think of these cabbages?" Jackson asked, turning to Sookie.

            Sookie took one out and began examining it. "They're great," she told him, beaming happily.

            "Hello! Forget the vegetables for a moment. Even Jackson knew, Sookie! How did everyone know except for me?"

            "You needed to realize it on your own," Sookie told her gently.

            "Luke's much more patient than me," Jackson added. "I mean, he's been waiting for you for it's years."

            Lorelai stared at Jackson, then started pacing and wringing her hands again. "Honey! Not helping!" Sookie told him.

            "Oh. Sorry. I'll just go, uh, get the tomatoes."

            "Good idea," Sookie said, patting his shoulder.

            Abandoning the cabbages, Sookie guided Lorelai to sit down on a stool. "Honey, calm down. Stop pacing, you'll get dizzy."

            "Right. Sorry."

            "It's okay. Now, listen. Yes, Luke has been in love with you for a long time - "

            "Been in love? I thought he just liked me! Sookie!" Lorelai wailed, jumping up and wringing her hands again.

            "Sweetie! Sit!" Sookie said, gently yet firmly.

            Lorelai sat down again. "Now, Luke has been in love with you for a long time. It's about time you realized it, and you have to decide what you're going to do. You have to decide if you want to be just friends, or more, because while you've been at this middle stage for years, I don't think Luke wants to wait much longer."

            Lorelai just stared at her blankly. "Middle stage?" she finally repeated.

            "Oh, honey, you're always flirting with him."

            "No, I'm not, I don't, I - " she stopped.

            Lorelai put her head in her hands. "Oh my God, I _do_ do that," she moaned.

            She looked up at Sookie. "I don't know what to do," she told Sookie helplessly.

            Sookie sat down next to her and patted her hand. "Lorelai, listen to me. You just need to be calm and rational, and think this through. It won't be that hard, you'll see."

            "Right," Lorelai said, nodding. "Calm. Rational. I will be Ms. Calm and Rational."

            She slumped in her chair. "Sookie!" Lorelai wailed. "I have never been calm and rational!"

            "Oh. Yes. Well…….there's a first time for everything, right?" Sookie said, sounding unsure.

            "Right," Lorelai agreed, sounding equally uncertain.

            They looked at each other, then looked away. "Right," they both said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So, Paris, are you and Jamie doing anything tonight?" Rory asked during school that day.

            "Maybe. Why? What are you and Jess doing?"

            Rory shrugged. "I don't know. He won't tell me."

            "Surprise, huh? I never like surprises."

            "I know you don't, Paris. So I'm sure Jamie told you what you're doing tonight."

            "We're going out to this really nice restaurant. It's called _Mi Amor."_

            "Wow, really?" Madeline asked.

            She and Louise came over and sat by Rory and Paris. "Yes, really. Why?" Paris asked, sounding slightly nervous. 

            "That place is _really_ romantic," Louise told her.

            "Really romantic? How romantic? What do people wear to those places?" Paris said, sounding panicked. "I can't go. Absolutely not."

            "Paris, calm down. Just wear a nice dress, put your hair up, and everything will be fine," Rory reassured her. 

            "Yeah," Madeline said.

            "Right," Louise agreed.

            "What are you two doing tonight?" Paris asked Madeline and Louise.

            "Well………….."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Jess parked his car in front of Chilton that afternoon. He had decided to surprise Rory and pick her up. Not seeing her anywhere, Jess got out of the car and decided to go and find her.

            _This place is pretty impressive, he thought. Pretty impressive? Who was he kidding? The school was __extremely impressive, and Jess felt a little out of place. Who was he? Just some troublemaker from New York. He knew that Rory sometimes felt out of place at Chilton too, but at least it was in her blood. It wasn't like that for him._

            His steps slowing as he entered the school, he looked around and was immediately relieved when he saw Paris and two other girls standing by a group of lockers. "Hey Paris," he said, casually walking over to her.

            "Oh, hey. If you're looking for Rory, she's probably at her locker."

            "Yeah. Where is it?"

            "Down the hall and to your left."

            "Okay. Thanks."

            "No problem."

            "Wait, aren't you going to introduce us?" Madeline asked Paris.

            Paris rolled her eyes. "Jess, this is Madeline, and this is Louise. Girls, this is Jess, Rory's boyfriend."

            "We were wondering why we hadn't seen you before," Louise said.

            "Because we definitely would have remembered," Madeline added with a small smile.

            Jess stuck his hands in his pockets and nodded. "Nice meeting you, ladies," he said.

            Jess turned and walked away, and heard the two other girls whispering to Paris about him, causing him to smirk. Nice to know that he had that effect even on the rich girls.

            Jess saw Rory digging through her locker for something, and came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. "Hey," he said.

            Rory turned around to face him, her eyes lighting up. "Hey yourself," she said with a smile.

            She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. "What are you doing here?"

            "Thought I'd give you a ride home."

            "Really?"

            "No, I just drove out here to say hi, and now I'm going back home. You can take the bus," Jess told her sarcastically.

            Rory shook a finger in his face. "None of that, mister!"

            Jess grabbed her hand, then leaned forward and kissed her. "Okay."

            Rory beamed at him. "Just let me get my stuff."

            Jess looked into her overflowing backpack. "What the hell's in here?" he asked her.

            "Schoolwork. And books," she added with a sheepish smile.

            "The truth comes out."

            "Come on, let's go."

            They walked out to Jess' car, and Jess waved at Paris, Madeline, and Louise on the way out. Paris gave him a slight nod, and Madeline and Louise waved back, giggling. 

            "What was that all about?" Rory asked him, amused, as they walked out.

            "I met them on the way in."

            "I'm going to have to keep my eye on you."

            Jess smirked. "I don't mind."

            Rory blushed, causing Jess' smirk to widen. He loved making her blush. It was just too easy.

            They got into his car and talked on the ride home. Rory asked him a few times where they were going, but he wouldn't say. "But I won't know what to wear!" she told him. "What are you wearing?"

            Jess shrugged. "Whatever's clean."

            "Do I have to dress up?"

            "Um…….no?"

            "You don't even know what girls wear to…….wherever we're going. That's why you have to tell me, so I know what to wear."

            "Wear whatever you want. I'm not going to tell you," Jess told her stubbornly.

            "Fine. If I'm overdressed, it's your fault. And if I'm underdressed, that's your fault too."

            "I can live with it."

            Rory let out a sigh of frustration. "Come on! Just tell me!"

            "No."

            Jess smirked, and Rory sat back and crossed her arms. "You're enjoying this," she accused him.

            "Yes I am."

            "I don't like you very much right now."

            "Huh."

            They drove by Rory's bus stop and saw Dean sitting there. "Looks like somebody was waiting for you," he told Rory. 

            Jess pulled over to where Dean was sitting. "Jess, what are you doing?" Rory asked.

            Jess rolled down Rory's window, since Dean was on her side. "Hey, bag boy, need a ride somewhere?" he asked.

            Dean looked up and saw Rory sitting in Jess' car. "No, Mariano, I'm good."

            "Suit yourself."

            Jess peeled away, and Rory closed her window. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I don't know why he was there," Rory told Jess.

            Jess shrugged. "It's okay. That was fun."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Luke was wiping counters when he heard the phone ring. "Hello, Luke's," he answered.

            "Mr. Danes?" came a female voice on the other line.

            "Yes, this is him. Who is this?"

            "I'm calling about Jess."

            Luke groaned. "What did he do this time?"

            The woman on the other end laughed. "It's nothing like that. I'm his English Lit teacher, Mrs. Rhodes."

            Luke was puzzled. "Well, Mrs. Rhodes, how can I help you?" he asked.

            "I'd like to talk to you about Jess."

            "Um, okay," Luke said cautiously.

            "Don't worry, it's good. I'd like to discuss the paper he just turned in with you. Can you meet me Monday afternoon, after school?"

            "Uh, sure," Luke replied.

            "Great. I'm in room 108. I'll see you at three."

            "Room 108. Three o'clock. Got it."

            "All right. Goodbye."

            "'Bye."

            Luke hung up the phone and stared at it. Never, not since Jess had moved here, had he received a call from Stars Hollow High that had been good. Never. He looked up as Jess came in and just stared at him. "What?" Jess asked.

            "Uh, nothing."

            Jess shook his head and muttered something about how Lorelai was rubbing off on Luke and he was acting crazy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Mom! I don't know what to wear!" Rory wailed, walking in to the kitchen.

            "Still couldn't get anything out of him, huh?"

            "No!"

            "Well, this is Jess we're talking about, so I'm definitely not thinking that you have to dress up, dress up."

            "So, no dress?"

            "No, I'm sure a skirt will be good."

            Lorelai's eyes widened. "Ooooh, I have the perfect outfit!"

            She started digging through Rory's closet, and pulled out a few articles of clothing. "Ta-da!" she exclaimed.

            Lorelai had found a short, dark red skirt and low-cut black shirt. "All you need are some great black shoes," Lorelai told her. "Come on, let's go to my room."

            Rory followed her mother upstairs and Lorelai started digging through her closet. "How about these?" she said, holding up black stilettos. 

            "Too dressy."

            "Hmm," Lorelai said, giving the shoes an once-over. "You're right."

            She continued digging through her closet, then let out a muffled cry. "Aha!" Lorelai said, turning around to face Rory. "How about these?"

            Rory looked at the shoes. They were black, open-toed with a chunky heel. Rory nodded. "I like," she said.

            "Good."

            Lorelai looked back in her closet again. "Here," she said, tossing Rory a dark blue jean jacket. "This will help dress you down if you need it, and if you don't then leave it in the car."

            "Good idea."

            "I am full of them, aren't I?"

            "Yes, Mommy."

            "Good girl. Now go get dressed."

            Rory ran back to her room and threw the clothes on, then looked at herself in the mirror. "I look horrible!" Rory cried out as Lorelai entered the room.

            "No you don't!"

            "Yes I do! What should I do with my hair?"

            Lorelai pondered this for a moment. "Leave it down," she finally said. "Come on. I'll do your makeup."

            Lorelai just finished Rory's makeup when the doorbell rang. Rory froze. "I can't go. I look horrible. Tell him I'm sick."

            "Honey, what's the matter? Why don't you want to go?" Lorelai asked, concerned.

            "What if I say something stupid?"

            "Like…….."

            "Like, oh, I don't know, what if I tell him I love him?"

            "Just don't think about it," Lorelai advised her. "You'll be fine."

            "Right. Okay."

            "Take a deep breath."

            "Ok, taking a deep breath."

            "Now hold it."

            "Mom!"

            "Just kidding. You can exhale."

            The doorbell rang again. "Oh. Maybe one of us should answer that," Lorelai said. "I'll get it, you make sure you look perfect."

            "Okay."

            Lorelai went to the door and flung it open. "Hiya, Jessie," she greeted him.

            "Hiya, Lor - "

            "Don't you dare."

            "What?"

            Lorelai stuck a warning finger in his face. "Call me that again, and you die. Boyfriend or not. Rory will get over it."

            "Okay."

            "So……wanna come in?" Lorelai asked.

            "Okay."

            Jess came in and Lorelai closed the door. They stood in silence in the entrance. "So," Lorelai said.

            "So," Jess said, sticking his hands in his pockets.

            "Where are you guys going?"

            "Not telling."

            "Oh, come on," Lorelai pouted.

            "No."

            "Fine," Lorelai said, crossing her arms.

            There was silence again. "So what are your big plans for tonight?" Jess finally asked.

            Lorelai started stuttering. "Oh, I, uh, I, well, you know, I, I wonder where Rory is!"

            Jess smirked. Lorelai obviously didn't know that he knew about what she had told her parents about Luke. "Rory!" Lorelai called, sounding a little desperate.

            Rory walked in, feeling nervous. She knew she shouldn't worry, but what if she said _it? She didn't want things between her and Jess to get messed up, not when they had been going so well lately._

            "Hey," Jess said.

            "Hey," Rory said back.

            Rory grabbed the jean jacket, then kissed her mother on the cheek. "'Bye Mom," she said. "Have a good time with Fred."

            "Oh, I will. I've been meaning to spend some quality time with him."

"Are you still talking about the coffee maker?" Jess asked.

"How many other Fred's do you know?" Lorelai asked in a duh-isn't-it-obvious tone of voice.

"Have a good time! But not too good of a time. Be home by midnight."

            "Okay."

            "'Bye," Jess said to Lorelai.

            Lorelai looked surprised for a moment, but quickly recovered. "'Bye loverboy."

            Jess and Rory walked to Jess' car and got in. "You look pretty," he told her, not all that comfortable giving compliments.

            "Thanks," Rory said.

            She wasn't that comfortable receiving compliments. Jess leaned over and gave her a kiss before starting the car. "So where are we going?" Rory asked, breaking the awkward silence.

            "I'm still not telling."

            "Please?"

            "No."

            Jess started driving, and Rory kept asking. Finally Jess stopped the car. "We're here," he told her.

            Rory looked around eagerly, getting out of the car. "Where are we?" she asked.

            "Hartford."

            Rory looked surprised. "Really?"

            "Yeah."

            Jess put an arm around her. "C'mon."

            He led her to a small, unmarked building tucked away in an alley. There was no sign or anything. "What's this place called?" she asked.

            "It's called _Los Libros de Amore_," Jess said, answering her.

            "_Los Libros de Amore?" Rory repeated._

            "It's Spanish. It means 'The Books for Love'."

            "Let's go in!" Rory said, sounding curious and excited.

            "Okay."

            Jess opened the door and Rory stepped through and eagerly looked around. She was amazed by what she saw. All sorts of people were in there. She saw couples dressed in expensive outfits and couples dressed in what looked like secondhand clothes. One thing everyone had in common was they were holding a book.

            Everyone was either reading or discussing books, making the room gently hum with human voices. The lighting was dim, but not so much so that it was impossible to read.

            But what Rory soon noticed, as Jess led her through shelves of books, was that you could eat there. There were tables among bookshelves, and waiters moved through the throngs of people reading and discussing literature.

            Jess went up to a man dressed in a tux and said "Mariano, in classics."

            The man took a pad of paper out of his pocket and checked off the name. "Ah, of course. This way."

            Jess took Rory's hand, and they followed the man to a table that, sure enough, was in the classics section. "Your waiter will be with you in a moment," he said as Rory and Jess sat down.

            He handed them both menus. "Enjoy your evening."

            Jess looked at Rory for her reaction, trying extremely hard not to look nervous. "Jess, this place is amazing!" Rory exclaimed. "How did you ever find it?"

            "Maggie told me about it," Jess said, relieved that Rory seemed to like it. "Like it?"

            "I love it! Oh my gosh, I can't believe this!" she said

            "A nice restaurant where it's not impolite to read at the table?" Jess supplied for her.

            Rory grinned. "Exactly! How did Maggie know about this place?"

            Jess shrugged. "She lives in Hartford."

            "She lives here now?"

            Jess nodded. "Yeah. She did before, too. She said she lived in Hartford her whole life, but then twenty years ago she moved to England."

            "She lived in England for the past twenty years? Why'd she move back to Hartford?" Rory asked curiously.

            "I don't know. She just said it was 'time for her to move home'."

            Rory nodded. "That sounds like something she'd say."

            "Yeah."

            Their conversation was interrupted by the waiter. "Can I start you off with something to drink?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Okay, your turn," Rory said two hours later.

            Jess reached behind him and picked out another book by Hemmingway. "Ha!" he told her triumphantly.

            "That is not fair! How are you doing that?" she asked.

            "I don't know," he said.

            They both started laughing. "Ok, go," she said, after they had stopped.

            "All right. This is a good book because…….."

            Rory and Jess had started playing a 'game' Rory had cooked up while they were eating dinner. Without looking, they had to reach behind them and pick out a book, then tell the other why it was a great book. It had been hard for Rory because a couple of times she had picked out books she had absolutely hated. But Jess picked out a book by Hemmingway every single time!

            "Your turn," Jess said to her.

            "Okay."

            Rory reached behind her and picked out a book. She looked at the title. "No!" she cried.

            It was Farewell to Arms. "No. Not fair. You're cheating somehow."

            "Nope. I'm just lucky. Now go."

            Rory groaned. "This is a good book because……uh……because………uh…… because my boyfriend likes it!"

            "Good answer."

            "Thank you, I thought so."

            Rory sat back in her chair and looked around again. "Ready to go?" he asked her.

            "I guess. I love this place, though."

            "We can come back anytime."

            "I'm holding you to that."

            "Okay."

            Jess took Rory's hand and led her out to his car. They got in, and Jess started driving back to Stars Hollow. "Where are we going?" Rory asked.

            "Stars Hollow."

            "It's only quarter to ten," Rory told him as he drove.

            "I know."

            "You're not telling me again, right?"

            "Right."

            Rory sighed resignedly and looked out the window. Jess stopped the car when they got to the bridge. "Come on," he said.

            Rory grinned. "Oooh, we're here," she said, jumping out of the car.

            Jess went around back and opened the trunk. He took out a blanket and basket. "We're having a picnic on the bridge?" Rory asked him.

            "Yeah. Great idea, huh?"

            "Really original. I mean, no one ever has picnics on the bridge."

            "Right. Who would do something like that?"

            "Just us," Rory said softly with a smile.

            Jess spread out the blanket and they sat down. "What's in the picnic basket?" Rory asked.

            "Food."

            "We just ate," Rory pointed out.

            "Yeah, but it's you."

            Rory smiled. "I am kinda hungry," she admitted.

            She pulled the picnic basket towards her and opened it. "Oooh!" Rory said happily, grabbing the thermos of coffee.

            She eagerly drank it. "It's Luke's!" she said.

            Jess shook his head. "I know how addicted you are to that stuff."

            Rory continued rooting around in the basket. She found a book and held it up. The moonlight was bright, so she was able to read it. "Oliver Twist!" she exclaimed, holding up Jess' battered copy.

            She looked at him and giggled. "What?" he asked her.

            "I got you a present."

            She gave him a wrapped present. "Open it."

            Jess opened it, then looked up with a grin. It was Oliver Twist. "It's a first-edition," Rory said. 

            Jess flipped it open and saw Rory had written something on the cover. He squinted to make it out. It read:

            **For My Artful Dodger**

**            February 14, 2003**

**            Love, Your Princess**

"What do you think?" Rory asked him anxiously.

            Jess leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Thanks," he said simply.

            Rory beamed, glad he had liked it. "Keep looking," he said, gesturing towards the picnic basket.

            Rory stuck her hand in the basket and pulled out a box of coffee-flavored chocolates. "Ooh, better hide these from my mom," Rory said.

            "Good idea."

            She kept looking, and found a bag of cookies - "Good, I'm starving," she said, ripping them open and popping one in her mouth - then picked up a small box. "What's this?" she asked.

            Jess shrugged. "Open it," he said casually.

            Rory looked at him, then unwrapped the box. It was a jewelry box. She opened it and found a silver chain with a silver heart outline dangling from it. 

            Rory looked up and her eyes met Jess'. She saw that vulnerable look in his eyes that he tried to hide from everyone, but that she sometimes saw.

            Rory moved the picnic basket so that it was on the side, not in between them. She crawled over to Jess. "Put it on?" she asked.

            "Okay."

            She lifted up her hair, and Jess fastened the necklace's clasp in the back. The heart dangled for a moment, then settled on her chest as Rory sat back.

            Jess lay on his back, pulling Rory down with him. She put her head on his shoulder and cuddled up next to him. "Thank you," she whispered to him.

            "For what?"

            "Everything," Rory said, leaning up on her elbow.

            She leaned down and they shared a long, sweet kiss. Rory then lay down next to Jess, putting her hand on his chest, and they lay on their bridge, watching the night sky.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note_****: Review! That's all I ask of you!**

**_Coming in Chapter 7_****……..Rory tells Lorelai about her date with Jess, Lorelai continues freaking out over _it_, and Luke meets with Mrs. Rhodes about Jess.**

            ****


	8. Me First, Me First

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

**~*~*_Special Mention: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up, I was having computer problems. To make it up to you, I'll post the next chapter tomorrow!_**

********************************************************************************

            "Mornin' sunshine!" Lorelai said, walking into Rory's room the next morning.

            Rory looked at the clock and groaned. "Mom, it's 9:00 on a Saturday morning. Let me sleep."

            Lorelai sat down and started bouncing on her bed. "No. Come on, last night you didn't tell me anything about your date with Jess. So you have to tell me, now. What happened? Was it fun? Was it romantic? Were you properly attired? The jacket! Did you wear the jacket, or leave it in the car?"

            "Too early," Rory moaned.

            "I have coffee," Lorelai sang, holding out a cup.

            Rory sat up, drank the coffee, then, sank back into her pillows. Lorelai saw a flash of silver. "Come here!" she said, grabbing Rory's shoulders. "Is that a new necklace?"

            Rory smiled sleepily and showed her mother the necklace that was still around her neck. "Jess gave it to me."

            "Oooh, jewelry! Me like, me like!" Lorelai squealed. "Tell me everything!"

            "Okay," Rory said, and proceeded to give her mother the highlights of her evening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Huh," Lorelai said when Rory was finished.

            "What?"

            "He's in love with you."

            Rory quickly looked at her mother. "What makes you say that?"

            "It's not just the necklace," Lorelai explained. "It's all the little stuff, the thought and effort he put in to make the date perfect, to have everything you like. It's a labor of love."

            _Jess is in love with Rory. Well, at least I don't have to worry about Jess not returning Rory's feelings. But……..Jess and Rory? He's just not good enough for her. Not that anyone is. Except Brad Pitt. But he's mine, anyway._

            "You think so?" Rory asked, interrupting Lorelai's thoughts.

            "I know so," Lorelai said, getting up and looking thoughtful.

            Rory smiled, then got up and stretched. "Well, I'm up now. Let's go to Luke's for breakfast."

            "Oh, um, you wanna run and get it? I'm too lazy to go out. It's too early."

            "Okay, tell me what happened," Rory said immediately.

            "What are you talking about?"

            "Yesterday afternoon I thought you were acting weirder than usual, and refusing to go to Luke's proves it. What happened with Luke?"

            "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Tell."

"There's nothing to tell, silly child. You've gone crazy. It must be the sleep

deprivation."

"Tell."

"I have nothing to say."

"Now I know you're lying. Tell."

Lorelai flopped back down onto Rory's bed. "I saw _it_!" she cried dramatically.

            "It?"

            "In Luke's eyes!"

            "Oh. Oh!" Rory said, her eyes growing wide.

            "Yes. And I talked to Sookie about it, and she said Luke's in love with me, and even Jackson knew before I did!"

            "That's not true, Mom. A part of you has always known."

            _A part of me has always known? That's crazy. Rory seriously needs help if she thinks that. _

            "Has not," Lorelai argued.

            "Has too."

            "Has not."

            "Fine, have it your way. But you are _not_ going to avoid Luke. C'mon, we're going to the diner for breakfast," Rory said firmly.

            "No! No, don't make me go!"

            "Come on," Rory said, tugging on Lorelai's arm.

"No!"

"They have good coffee there………."

            "Oh, all right," Lorelai grumbled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Lorelai and Rory entered the diner and sat down at a table. Rory looked at her mom quizzically. She hadn't started yelling for Luke to bring her coffee; she hadn't said anything, in fact. "Mom?" Rory asked.

            "What?"

            Just then Luke came over, also looking at Lorelai strangely. "Coffee?" he asked.

            "Uh, yeah," Lorelai said, picking up her menu and looking at it.

            Both Rory and Luke stared at her. They both knew Lorelai had the menu memorized, and besides, she just had Luke make her whatever she wanted anyway. "You okay?" Luke asked Lorelai.

            "What? Yeah. I'm fine. Peachy keen," Lorelai answered, not looking up from the menu.

            "Ooooookay," Luke said, drawing out the word. "I'll be back in a minute."

            "Mom!" Rory hissed after Luke had left. "He knows something's wrong!"

            "It's not my fault! _You're_ the one who made me come here!" Lorelai hissed back.

            "Is this a private conversation?" Jess asked, coming over.

            "Nope," Rory said, scooting over so Jess could sit down.

            He sat down and she gave him a kiss. "Mom just finally saw _it."_

            "What's _it_?" Jess asked.

            He looked at Lorelai, amused. She kept fidgeting, her leg moving up and down, and her eyes darting around, then looking back at the menu.

            "The look in Luke's eyes," Rory explained.

            "Oh. That."

            Lorelai's head jerked up. "Oh my God. Jess knew? _Jess_ knew? I can't believe my mother, Jess, and even _Jackson knew before me!" Lorelai wailed._

            She got up and ran out of the diner. "I guess she just wasn't ready yet," Rory said to Jess.

            Jess shrugged. "Guess not."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            By Monday, Lorelai had started eating at the diner again. She always carefully avoided Luke's gaze, but other than that she acted how she normally did.

            "Sookie, I still don't know what to do," Lorelai told her Monday afternoon.

            "Just give it time to sink in before deciding how you feel," Sookie advised.

            "Right. Time. I mean, it's just a shock. It'll be better with time. Right? And after it sinks in, I'll know how I feel. Right," Lorelai said, trying to convince herself.

            Sookie gave Lorelai a sympathetic smile and patted her on the shoulder. "It'll all work out. You'll see."

            Just then Michel strode in to the kitchen. "Lorelai, there are zees animals out there that I refuse to talk to. Zey are uncivilized creatures that should not be allowed in zis hotel."

            "Michel, talk to the people."

            "No. I refuse," he said haughtily.

            "Michel!" Lorelai called after him as he walked out.

            "I guess I better go out there," Lorelai said to Sookie.

            "Good. It'll take your mind off things."

            "Right. Good," Lorelai repeated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            That afternoon, Luke left Caesar in charge of the diner and drove to Jess' school. He was still uncomfortable being in the high school again. He found room 108, checked his watch and saw that it was five after three, and walked in.

            A blond woman was sitting behind a desk, and she looked up as Luke approached. She looked a little older than Luke - she was probably in her early to mid-forties. "Uh, hi. I'm here to see you about my nephew, Jess," Luke said.

            She smiled kindly at him. "Of course. I'm Mrs. Rhodes. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Danes. Please, have a seat."

            Luke sat, and Mrs. Rhodes walked over and placed a paper in front of him. "I'm guessing you haven't read Jess' paper," she said.

            "No, I haven't."

            "Perhaps you should read it before we have this discussion."

            "Uh, right. Okay."

            Luke looked down at the paper and started reading. He glanced up at Mrs. Rhodes a few times, but her face was unreadable. Luke was amazed that Jess had written the paper. His immediate thought was that Jess had had Rory write it, but he knew Rory wouldn't do that. Besides, the thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in the paper were uniquely Jess', there was no doubt about that.

            "I don't know much about writing, but it seems fine to me," Luke said.

            Mrs. Rhodes smiled her kind, gentle smile. "It's a lot more than fine, Mr. Danes," she told him. "This is amazing."

            Mrs. Rhodes stood up and started gesturing, using her hands, for a great effect. "Never, in my over twenty years of teaching high school English Lit, have I ever seen a student write a paper as good as this. Not ever. And this paper is more than good, more than fine, it's wonderful. Purely amazing. I don't know where Jess learned to write like this, because he's certainly never written a paper for me before."

            Luke had raised an eyebrow during Mrs. Rhodes' impassioned speech. _She's really worked up about this, he thought fleetingly, before Mrs. Rhodes asked him a direct question._

            "How did you get him to write this?"

            _It was Maggie! Luke's mind screamed at him, but he didn't know what to say to Mrs. Rhodes. __Yes, Mrs. Rhodes, this rich  old lady comes to my diner and somehow got Jess to do the paper. _

            "Ah, well, I guess he just had strong feelings about the book," Luke finally said.

            Mrs. Rhodes seemed to accept his explanation, and she went to her desk and picked up a pile of brochures. "Here," she said, handing them to Luke.

            He looked at them. _College brochures?_ he thought.

            "These are fantastic writing schools from all across the US. What's special about them is that the applicant doesn't have to have a good high school record. All they have to do is write an entrance essay and have the recommendation of a high school English teacher. And let me tell you, this teacher would most definitely give him a good recommendation."

            "A……college for writers?" Luke repeated, his mind trying to process the information.

            "Yes."

            "I don't know if Jess…….I'm sure you know how he feels about school," Luke said slowly.

            "Yes, but having him write the paper tells me that maybe he would think about it, don't you think? Will you speak with him about it?"

            "What? Oh, yeah, I will. I'll definitely talk to him about this."

            Feeling that their little meeting was coming to an end, Luke stood up. Mrs. Rhodes offered him her hand, and he shook it. "Thank you for taking time out of your day to see me, Mr. Danes," Mrs. Rhodes said.

            "No problem. Uh, thank you."

            Mrs. Rhodes smiled. "It was my pleasure. Jess has a real talent. You may take the paper with you," she said. "I have another copy."

            Luke picked up Jess' paper and stuck it in the pile of brochures. "Okay. Thanks."

            "Goodbye."

            "'Bye."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Once Luke had arrived back at the diner, he went upstairs and called the Gilmore home, hoping Rory was home. "Hello?" Rory's voice came over the line.

            "Rory. It's Luke," Luke said, relieved she was there.

            "Oh, hi Luke," Rory said, sounding surprised. 

            "Hi. Listen, I need you to do me a favor."

            "Okay. What?"

            "Maggie's here, and I need to talk to her. Alone. So I was wondering if you could come and get Jess out of here."

            "Okay," Rory said, sounding confused. "I'll come over right away."

            "Thanks. Don't say anything to Jess though, okay?"

            "Okay. But Luke, can I ask why you - "

            "I'll tell you later."

            "Okay."

            "Thanks, Rory."

            "I'll be right over. 'Bye Luke."

            "'Bye."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Rory arrived at the diner soon after and saw Luke standing behind the counter. _I wonder what he's going to tell me later. What does he want to talk to Maggie about?_

"Hey," she said, walking over to the table where Jess and Maggie were sitting.

            "Hello, Rory dear," Maggie said.

            "Hey," Jess said, looking surprised to see her.

            "Um, Maggie, can I borrow Jess for a second?"

            "Of course."

            Jess got up, looking confused, and Rory dragged him into a corner. "Do you wanna go do something?" she asked quickly.

            Jess just looked at her. "Is something the matter?"

            "No, why?" Rory asked, playing with her hair nervously.

            "You're acting a little weird."

            "Well, I just really need to relax. Today…….school was just really stressful," she lied. "Please? Just for a few minutes, we can go to my house or something."

            "Well - " Jess shot a glance at Maggie, reluctant to leave. "Maggie just got here."

            Rory looked at Jess, taken aback. _Since when does Jess want to spend time with anyone besides me? Since when am I second?_ she asked herself. 

            Rory crossed her arms, feeling herself getting annoyed. She had come over to help Luke, thinking it would be a piece of cake, thinking that it would be quick and easy. Thinking that of course Jess would choose her over some old lady he barely knew.

            "Fine. Never mind, then," Rory said, turning on her heel and stalking out of the diner.

            "Rory!" he called after her.

            Jess walked over to Maggie. "I gotta go," he said. 

            "That's all right."

            Maggie looked towards the door. "I suggest you hurry."

            "Yeah. See ya."

            With that, Jess was out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            _Uh-oh, Luke thought. He hadn't meant for Rory and Jess to get into a fight. _They'll work it out_, he reassured himself._

            And now he had Maggie alone, just like he had wanted. He picked up Jess' paper and the pile of brochures, and walked over to Maggie's table.

            "Jess wrote the paper," Luke said, sitting down.

            Maggie smiled a small smile. "He did? Good."

            "Yeah. Really good, apparently. I had a meeting with his English Lit teacher today."

            "Oh?" Maggie asked, seeming extremely interested.

            "Yes. She said he was the best writer she had ever seen, and she gave me this."

            Luke dropped the pile of brochures on the table in front of Maggie. He placed Jess' paper on top of them. "And this is Jess' paper," he said.

            "I'm assuming I can look at all of this?"

            "Yes, since I just threw it all in front of you, I'd say that's a safe assumption."

            Maggie raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything. She took out her glasses and began to read Jess' paper, smiling to herself every once in a while. 

            Finally she put it down and lowered her glasses, looking at Luke. "Well, I'd say his teacher's right. That is an excellent paper."

            "These," Luke said, gesturing towards the brochures, "are college brochures she gave me. She thinks he should go to a specialty writers' college."

            Maggie looked thoughtful. "That's probably a good idea. They don't care much for high school records; admittance is based on the entrance essay and teacher recommendation."

            Luke looked at her, a bit surprised, then shook his head. Why was he surprised? This woman seemed to know everything. "Go ahead, look through them."

            Wordlessly, Maggie put on her glasses again and started putting the brochures into two piles, barely even glancing through them.

            "What are you doing?" Luke asked, unable to keep his curiosity in check any longer.

            "Sorting through these brochures. Here," she said, pushing the left pile towards Luke. "These are the good schools. The other ones aren't that great."

            Luke didn't look at the brochures. "How do you know? You barely glanced at the them."

            Maggie put her glasses away, then looked back at Luke. "You have something to say to me. Go ahead, say it."

            "Who are you?" Luke asked.

            Maggie didn't reply. "That's what I want to know. Who are you? You come in here almost every day, and I know it's not your type of place. You live in Hartford. You know Rory and Lorelai, somehow, but seem to be avoiding them, or at least Lorelai. You have some strange interest in my nephew, but thanks to your influence, he's actually doing schoolwork and writing papers, and now I find out he's some amazing writer. It doesn't seem to faze _you though, does it? It's like you knew all along. And now, I give you these brochures for colleges I've never even heard of, and you seem to know each and every one of them, not to mention the requirements to get in."_

            Luke stopped and took a deep breath. He couldn't remember the last time he had said so much at one time. "So you want to know who I am," Maggie said, "because you think that Jess is doing better in school thanks to me and it upsets you because you feel like you're not a part of it."

            Luke started. "I - I didn't say that."

            "But it's what you meant."

            Luke looked at her closely, then decided to be straight with her. "Yes."

            "Well, Mr. Danes," Maggie said, getting up. "I'm sorry you feel that way. But I can't - I can't tell you what you want to know. Not yet."

            "Not yet?" Luke repeated. 

            "No, not yet. But soon," she promised.

            "Come back tomorrow afternoon," he called after her as she walked towards the door. "I'm going to talk to Jess about this."

            "All right."

            And with that, she left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Jess headed straight for the bridge, knowing that it was where Rory had gone. Sure enough, he got there and saw her sitting on the edge, dangling her feet above the water. "Hey," he said, sitting down next to her.

            "Hey," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

            "It's okay."

            Neither of them spoke, and they both just sat on the edge on the bridge, dangling their feet above the water. Jess knew Rory would tell him what was wrong if he remained silent.

            "I just didn't like being second for once," Rory finally said bluntly, staring straight ahead.

            "What?" Jess asked, not understanding.

            "With you. I didn't like being second with you."

            "What are you talking about? You're not second with me."

            "I didn't think I was. But, you and Maggie have this connection, and this afternoon I was second."

            Suddenly Jess realized what she meant. _She wanted to do something, and I said no because I wanted to talk with Maggie first. Maggie was my first choice. Over Rory? It's not like that, though. It's………different, _Jess thought.

            Jess put his arm around Rory. "I'm not first with you," he finally said.

            "What?" Rory asked, turning to look at him.

            "Lorelai's first with you."

            "Well - " Rory paused. "It's a different kind of first. She's my mother."

            "I know."

Jess paused. "Maggie's not first over you," he told her. "It's a different kind of first."

            He gave her a kiss, and Rory gave him a small smile. "I know."

            "Okay."

            She laid her head on his shoulder, and they looked out into the water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Luke?" Rory said, entering the diner.

            Lorelai had to work late at the Inn, so Rory had come to the diner for dinner. She had also come to have Luke explain to her why he had needed her to distract Jess. 

            Luke hurried over to her. "Come upstairs, I want to show you something."

            "Okay."

            She disappeared up the stairs without Jess seeing her. The diner was always busy during dinner hour. A second later she heard Luke call out, "Jess! I have to go upstairs for a minute, you're in charge!"

            "Great!" he yelled back sarcastically.

            Luke hurried up to the apartment and found Rory waiting for him. "I had a meeting with one of Jess' teachers today," he told her.

            "You should know that I don't take bad news very well."

            "That's fine, because this is good news."

            "But you just said you had a meeting with one of Jess' teachers. How is this good news?"

            "It was his English Lit teacher. Remember that book he read for that class?"

            "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, of course I remember."

            "He wrote a paper for it."

            "He did an assignment?"

            Luke had to smile at the surprise evident on Rory's face. "Yes. Hey, it shocked the heck out of me, too. But here's the thing. The teacher said it was the best paper she had ever read."

            "Really? That's good! Who was the teacher?"

            "Uh…….Mrs. Rhodes."

            "Hey, I wrote a paper for her!" Rory said indignantly. 

            Luke just looked at her. "Oh, uh, well, I'm sure she didn't mean it like that………"

"I was just joking. That's good for Jess. Continue."

"Um, right. Okay. She gave me a bunch of brochures about colleges. She thinks Jess should go to some writing college."

            "Wow. Does Jess know?"

            "Not yet. But I talked to Maggie after you and Jess left. She knew everything about these colleges, and she's already separated them into a 'good' and 'bad' pile."

            "Oh. Well."

            Rory and Luke exchanged a look and they understood each other. Maggie……she wasn't taking over either of their spots in Jess' life, exactly, but………….

"Yeah. Anyway, I was thinking about telling Jess tomorrow, and you know, we don't have the best communication skills. Maybe you and Maggie want to, you know, be there? I don't even know if he wants to go to college, any college."

            "Of course I'll be here. After school tomorrow?"

            "If you can make it."

            "I'll be here."

            Luke handed her Jess' paper. "You can read it if you want. I have to get back downstairs."

            "Okay," Rory said, taking the paper. "Thanks."

            Luke left, and Rory sat down on the couch and started reading it.

            When she finished, she looked up with an excited look on her face. _This paper is amazing! she thought._

            Maybe Jess would go to a college somewhere near her. The thought made Rory smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note:_**** Review, review. Click the pretty button on your left. That's right. You can do it. *CLICK***

**_Coming in Chapter 8_****…………Luke, Rory, and Maggie talk to Jess about college, but it doesn't end up so well; and Lorelai finally comes face-to-face with Maggie.**

            ****


	9. Sorry I Said Sorry

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            Rory burst into the diner after school. "Sorry it took me so long," she told Luke and Maggie, who were sitting at Maggie's usual table.

            She looked around. "Where's Jess?"

            "Upstairs," Luke answered.

            Rory saw the brochures spread out on the table. "Sit down. I'll get him," Luke said.

            He walked over to the stairs. "JESS! GET DOWN HERE!" he yelled up.

            Luke went back and sat down, and a few minutes later, Jess came down the stairs. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Luke, Rory, and Maggie sitting at a table together and looking at him expectantly. "What's going on?" he asked suspiciously.

            "Nothing. Sit," Luke said.

            Jess still looked wary and he looked at Rory. She smiled and gave him a nod, and Jess sat down next to her and across from Luke. "I need to talk to you about something," Luke began.

            "And you brought reinforcements?" Jess interrupted.

            Luke looked from Maggie to Rory a bit uncomfortably. "Well…….."

            "Just listen to what he has to say," Maggie said.

            Rory put her hand on his leg above his knee in what she probably meant to be a reassuring gesture, but Jess reached down and removed it, taking her hand in his. He didn't need any more distractions at the moment………not that Rory's hand on his leg wasn't a pleasant one.

            "I had a meeting with your English Lit teacher yesterday," Luke said, then paused as if waiting for Jess to respond.

            Jess didn't say anything, so Luke continued. "She wanted to talk to me about your paper. She said……well, she said it was the best paper she'd ever read."

            Jess just stared. What was so important about that that Luke had called a big powwow? "She gave me these," Luke said, gesturing towards the brochures on the table. "Take a look at them."

            Jess, for the first time, noticed the pile on the table. Still looking at Luke warily, he removed his hand from Rory's and picked one up. _Boston Writers, he read to himself. __If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was a college brochure._

"What is this?" Jess asked, looking back up at Luke.

            "Your teacher gave them to me. She thinks you'd have no problem getting into one of these specialty writers' colleges."

            "What?" Jess asked blankly.

            Rory and Maggie both looked like they wanted to say something, but this was something Luke had to talk to Jess about, so they kept their mouths shut.

            "College. Did you ever think of going?" Luke asked.

            Jess still looked like he had no idea what Luke was talking about, but replied, "Not really. School's not my thing."

            "But would you go if you could?" Luke persisted.

            Jess looked around uncomfortably, avoiding Luke, Maggie, and Rory's eyes on him. "Dunno. What does it matter? You have to do well in high school to go, anyway. It's a little too late for that now."

            "No, it's not. Apparently, at these writing schools, all you have to do is write an entrance essay and have a teacher recommendation. They don't care about your high school grades."

            Jess stared at Luke. _What's he smokin'? Everyone knows that colleges look at your high school grades. There isn't any exceptions. Is there?_

            "I think you've lost it," Jess finally said.

            Luke shot a glance at Maggie, who took that as permission to speak. "No, he hasn't. I know most of these schools, and they're all excellent colleges. And I read your paper. You could get in easily."

            "You read my paper?" Jess repeated.

            He started to look annoyed. He turned to Rory. "Did you read it, too?"

            "Yes," Rory answered, not understanding why he was getting upset. 

She reached onto the table and put her hand over his. "It was good, Jess. More than good. It was amazing."

Jess took his hand out from under hers. "You all read it?"

"Your teacher gave me a copy - " Luke started to explain.

"Well, hell, Luke, why don't you just read it out loud at the next town meeting? Or pass it out here, you know, like flyers or something. Or maybe - "

"Jess - " Rory began.

Jess ignored her and got up. He headed towards the door. "Where are you going?" Luke called after him.

"Out."

He slammed the door behind him. Luke turned to Maggie and Rory. "Well, that went better than I thought it would," Luke said, and Rory gave him a slight smile.

Maggie just stared at him like he was crazy. "What?" she finally asked, thinking she had heard him wrong.

Luke looked at her. "Maybe you don't know Jess as well as you think you do," he told Maggie, sounding slightly smug.

"I know where he is. I'll talk to him," Rory said.

"Good idea," Luke said, looking relieved.

Rory left and headed for the bridge but was intercepted by Dean. "Hey," he said, stopping to talk to her.

"Oh, uh, hi Dean."

She peeked around Dean's shoulder. She could just make out Jess standing on the bridge. "Do you want to get some ice cream or something?" he asked her.

"What?" Rory asked, snapping back to the conversation. "Oh, uh, I'd like to, but I have to do something - "

"Come on, I'm sure it can wait," Dean said with an easy smile, trying to win her over.

"Actually, it really can't," Rory told him, starting to walk around him.

Dean grabbed her arm to stop her, and Rory turned to face him. "Let go of my arm," she told him, starting to get annoyed.

"I thought you said you wanted to be friends."

"Well, yeah, but right now I just can't - " Rory stopped.

Dean was still holding her arm and he refused to take no for an answer. Rory was starting to get angry. Yes, they were friends, but right now she had to talk to Jess! Couldn't Dean see that she didn't feel like getting ice cream at the moment?

"Let go of me," Rory repeated.

Suddenly she heard a voice from behind her. "Hey bag boy, I think I heard her say you should let go."

Dean let go of Rory's arm, and she turned to see Jess. "Jess, I need to talk to you," she said anxiously.

Jess shot a look at Dean, who was still standing behind Rory. "Do you mind?" he asked him sarcastically.

"Well actually, Rory and I were just - " Dean started, wanting to piss Jess off.

"Wrong answer."

Jess needed someone to vent his feelings on, and Dean was standing right there, asking for it. The next thing Rory knew, they were fighting. "Stop!" Rory cried as they punched each other.

Jess threw himself at Dean, who fell over, and they started rolling around on the grass. "Stop!" Rory shrieked louder.

She looked around, but she was the only one there. Dean and Jess had both gotten up and Jess was trying to put Dean in a headlock. "Jess, stop!" Rory cried, upset.

Jess let out a groan of frustration, then let Dean go and stalked away. Dean straightened and looked at Rory, but she hurried after Jess without even glancing at him.

Rory caught up with Jess and put her hand on his arm. "Are you okay?" she asked.

They stopped walking and Jess turned to look at her. Rory noted with relief that aside from a swollen lip, he looked fine. "Yeah."

They stood in awkward silence for a moment until Rory spoke. "Come on, you need ice on that."

"I'm not going back to the diner," he said stubbornly.

Rory sighed. "Fine, we'll go to my house. My mom's still at work."

They silently made their way to Rory's house, and Rory sat Jess down in a chair in the kitchen, then went to get some ice. She pulled a chair across from Jess, then sat down in it and put the ice to his lip. 

Jess glanced at her furtively. He knew very well that he could hold the ice on his own, but admitted to himself that he liked having Rory take care of him. "Sorry about Dean," Rory said, breaking the silence.

Jess pushed her hand away from his swollen lip so that he could talk. "I can't believe you're apologizing for him."

"Well - I just - " Rory stammered.

"Whatever."

Rory felt tears stinging her eyes. "What is your problem? I said sorry because I know you were mad and Dean shouldn't have said anything to you."

"My problem is that every time he does anything wrong, you defend him! What, do you still have feelings for him?" Jess asked angrily, his voice growing louder.

"No! I'm sorry I said sorry, okay?" Rory said, refusing to let the tears fall from her eyes.

Jess scowled. "You know what? Just go!" Rory yelled at him.

"Fine, I will!" he yelled back.

Jess stormed out the front door, almost knocking Lorelai over on her way in. Lorelai made her way into the kitchen. "What was that all about? I saw his swollen lip. Did you sock him?" she asked excitedly.

"No."

            Lorelai sat down in Jess' vacated chair. "What happened?"

            "Dean and Jess got into a fight," Rory sniffed.

            "Oh. Well, you knew it was going to happen sooner or later."

            Rory shot her mom a look. "Right. Shutting up now. Continue."

            "Jess was in a really bad mood already, and then when Dean came, he just lost it. We came back here to get some ice, and I apologized for Dean, and Jess got mad, and then we got into a fight."

            "Oh, honey, it'll be okay," Lorelai said, giving Rory a hug.

            She waited until Rory stopped sniffling, then asked, "Why was Jess already in a bad mood?"

            "I don't know. I mean, I do know, but I don't know what the big deal was. He wrote a paper for school - "

            Rory stopped when Lorelai didn't seem surprised to hear this. "You knew?" she asked Lorelai.

            "Well, Luke mentioned something about it to me last week."

            "Oh." 

Rory sounded a bit put off for a moment, then continued. "Well, Jess' English Lit teacher called and Luke had a meeting with her yesterday. She told Luke that Jess' paper was amazing, and that he was the best writer she had ever seen, and she gave Luke these brochures for specialty writers' colleges that Jess could get into."

            "Wow. Really? I had no idea."

            "Yeah. Luke showed them to me, and to Maggie, and we read Jess' paper, too. And then today after school, Maggie and I were there when Luke talked to Jess about it, but Luke barely had a chance to talk about college because Jess got angry when he found out we had all read his paper."

            "Oh."

            Rory looked at her mother incredulously. "Oh? Oh is all you have to say?"

            "Well, this is Jess we're talking about. Did you really expect him to be happy that everyone read his paper? I mean, he probably thought only the teacher would read what he had written."

            "I guess I hadn't really thought about that……" Rory said slowly. "Papers are really personal……"

            Lorelai rubbed Rory's arm gently. "He'll get over it."

            "But then why did he get mad when I apologized for Dean? He said I always defend him," Rory told Lorelai, starting to get angry again. "He even asked if I still had feelings for Dean!"

            Lorelai kept quiet. "What? Say it," Rory ordered, knowing her mother wanted to say something.

            "Just……just remember that Dean's the ex-boyfriend here. Wouldn't it make you a little uncomfortable if Jess was friends with his ex-girlfriend, and then defended her all the time to you?"

            "Well - well, okay, maybe- " 

            Lorelai gave Rory a look. "Okay, yes, it would," Rory said, putting her head down on the table. "I'm a horrible girlfriend!"

            Lorelai gave her a quick laugh. "No, you're not. This is just a weird situation," Lorelai assured her.

            Rory didn't lift her head from the table. "Does this mean we're not having dinner at Luke's?" Lorelai asked hopefully.

            "Let's just order a pizza."

            "Okay!" Lorelai said happily.

            Going to Luke's still made her uncomfortable. She picked up the phone and quickly ordered the pizza. "Mom," Rory said after Lorelai had hung up the phone. "Why were you defending Jess to me? Since when do you defend him?"

            Lorelai looked a bit uncomfortable with Rory's question. "Maybe he's starting to grow on me," Lorelai finally said.

            Rory looked at her skeptically. "Hey, I can see that he actually cares about you, and he makes you happy………usually. And if you're happy, I'm happy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Luke looked up as he heard the door slam. Jess went upstairs without saying a word to him. Maggie had left, and Luke decided to follow Jess. 

            "Hey," Luke said as he entered the apartment.

            Jess didn't reply and kept his head down. "I need to talk to you," Luke told him.

            "Great. Go ahead, Uncle Luke. Maybe afterwards we could - "

            "Okay, enough."

            Luke looked at Jess strangely. He was purposely avoiding looking up. "Jess, look at me," he ordered.

            Jess looked up, and Luke saw his swollen lip. "What the - Jess, who'd you fight this time?" Luke asked, his voice growing loud and angry.

            "Dean."

            "Dean? Jess, you know that Rory's not going to like this when she hears about - "

            "She knows," Jess cut him off.

            "She does?"

            "Yeah. She was there."

            "Oh, great. This is just great. You know - "

            "Why the hell are you getting so upset here? He was standing there trying to pick a fight with me, and I let him have it."

            "What did Rory say?" Luke asked quietly.

            "She said stop."

            "Did you?"

            "Yeah."

            "Is she mad at you?"

            "About the fight? I don't think so."

            Luke gave him a look. "What do you mean, about the fight? Is she mad at you for something else?"

            "How the hell do I know?" Jess asked harshly.

            "That'd be a yes. What happened?"

            "Nothing."

            "Jess, come on. We're talking here, communicating, it's what people who live together do."

            "Oh, really? Like when you talked to me first before letting other people read my paper?" Jess bit out.

            "Jess, I - "

            "Forget it."

            "No. Look, you're right, I shouldn't have done that. I didn't think about whether you wanted other people to read it, and I'm sorry. Okay?"

            Jess shrugged and looked down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Luke put the brochures on the coffee table. "I'm gonna go back downstairs," he told Jess.

            "Am I stopping you?"

            Luke looked like he was about to say something, but then just walked away muttering to himself. _Looks like Lorelai was right. Luke is going crazy_, Jess thought.

            Jess closed his eyes at the thought of Lorelai. _Oh shit. She's gonna be really pissed. Not that it's any of her business, really, but since when has that stopped her? She'll probably come with a pitchfork to run me out of town for yelling at Rory……not that Rory didn't yell right back at me!_

Jess got up and sat down on the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table. _I don't know why Rory was so pissed off……I'm the injured party here! And of course she just had to defend Dean. Dean would never do anything wrong, I make him do it. Yeah, right. Like he's Mr. Holier Than Thou. The guy's an ass, and he deserved what he got. He deserves more than what he got._

Jess frowned for a moment. _Why does Rory always apologize for him? It's never her fault. It's between me and him. He was an overprotective, possessive, controlling, jealous boyfriend to her, and she still doesn't even see what he was. What he still is. _

Jess scowled, thinking of Dean. _But she always defends him……..she doesn't still have feelings for him, right? Of course not. She wouldn't. She doesn't. Does she? I don't think so. She got mad as hell when I suggested it to her. I trust her. I do._

Jess put his head in his hands and let out a groan of frustration. _Luke's not the only one going crazy. These Gilmore women will do it to a guy. I shouldn't have gotten mad and yelled at Rory……I should apologize to her. Great. I'm not too hot at apologizing……besides, she's probably still really pissed off at me. I can't believe I'm so insecure when it comes to her. Probably because she's the best thing that ever happened to me, but still. _

Jess straightened and stared at the wall as he realized something. _Now I'm the jealous boyfriend. Wow. This day just couldn't get any better, could it?_

Pushing all thoughts of Rory and their relationship out of his mind, Jess looked at the table in front of him and picked up the brochure that was on top. He flipped it open and started reading. _Couldn't hurt to just read about college…………_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Rory sat in her bed, not paying attention to the book she was trying to read. Her mind kept wandering to Jess. _I wonder if he's still mad. Who am I kidding? Of course he's still mad. I knew he was already upset, and I went to go talk to him, but I just couldn't get rid of Dean, could I? I should have been rude, just once, and gotten rid of him! I mean, what did I think was going to happen if Jess and Dean saw each other? That we'd all go out for ice cream together? I should have done something. I knew Jess was in a bad mood. Why didn't I do something?_

            Rory bit her lip, thinking. _I don't blame him for fighting Dean. Does he think I blame him? I hope not. Dean was trying to provoke Jess, and Jess was already mad, so it worked. It's as simple as that. But Jess did stop when I asked him to. He hates Dean and was probably enjoying getting a chance to let his emotions out on him, but he stopped because I wanted him to. What does that mean?_

Rory frowned as her mind jumped to thinking about the scene in her kitchen. _Still, I can't believe he asked me if I still had feelings for Dean! After everything we've been through? On Valentine's Day everything was so perfect, and that was less than a week ago! I thought Jess was different……I thought he trusted me. He said he did! He said he was fine with me being friends with Dean. Was he lying? Does that mean he was lying when he said he trusted me around Dean? No, it can't be. I trust him! If I can have so much trust and faith in him, why doesn't have the same faith in me? Am I really that untrustworthy?_

Rory threw a pillow at the wall. "Ah!" she yelped, frustrated. 

            _I'm going crazy with all of this wondering! I have to know._

            Rory looked at her clock. It was almost eleven thirty. She knew her mom was probably still up, so sneaking out wasn't really an option…….figuring she had no other choice, she went upstairs to talk to her mom.

            "Mom?" she asked, knocking lightly on the door.

            Lorelai opened the door. "What is it, babe? Is something the matter?"

            "Can I go and see Jess?" Rory asked in a rush.

            "What? Uh, you do know that it's eleven thirty at night, right? And that it's a school night?"

            "I know, but I can't sleep. I just keep thinking and wondering about my fight with Jess, and it's driving me crazy! I have to know!"

            Lorelai looked at her daughter carefully. She sighed, seeing that Rory wouldn't get any sleep otherwise. "All right. Go. Be back soon, though, _very soon. Understood? And if you wake up Luke and he refuses to give you coffee tomorrow morning, well, don't come to me. 'Cuz I'll pretend I don't know you."_

            "Thank you! Have I told you lately that you're the coolest mom ever?" Rory said, giving her mom a hug.

            "Yeah, yeah. Get out of here, spawn."

            "Yes, Satan."

            Rory threw on her coat over her coffee cup pajamas, stuffed her feet into a pair of sneakers, and headed for Luke's.

            Once she got there, she looked around nervously. She hadn't really thought this through; how was she supposed to wake up Jess, but not Luke? She hesitated, then saw a pebble on the ground.

            Picking it up, she threw it at Jess' window. She waited, then threw another. Finally Jess poked his head out, and Rory stifled a laugh at the expression on his face when he saw her down there. "Come down!" she called softly.

            Jess disappeared from the window and was outside in a flash. Rory looked at him, then quickly looked at the ground and blushed. He had thrown a coat on, but he was just wearing pants and had no shirt on underneath the coat. It wasn't buttoned or anything, and Rory could easily see his bare chest.

            "What are you doing here?" Jess asked.

            He didn't sound mad, which Rory was relieved to hear, but amused. "I couldn't sleep," she replied, looking up at him.

Her eyes met his, and she saw that he also looked wide-awake. "Yeah, me neither."

"Oh."

They stood in silence. "I - I'm sorry," Rory began.

She took a deep breath, and then it all came out in a rush. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry I apologized for Dean, I'm sorry I got mad, I'm sorry I yelled, I'm sorry I - "

"It's not your fault," Jess interrupted her.

"Yes it is," Rory said, nodding.

Jess let out a groan of frustration. "No, it's not! Not everything is your fault. I got pissed and I took it out on you. So……..I'm sorry."

"Oh. So……um…….you didn't mean what you said, right?" Rory asked, looking at the ground again.

"What did I say?"

Rory looked at him. "When you asked me……..when you asked if I still had feelings for - "

"No," Jess cut her off, not wanting to hear her say Dean's name.

"No?" she repeated, sounding hopeful.

"No, I didn't mean it."

"Okay. Good."

They were silent again. Jess knew Rory wanted to say something else, so he waited. "Because I don't, you know. I mean, me and - " she paused, avoiding saying Dean's name, "we're over. And I was mad because it was like you didn't trust me. And you can. You should. Trust me, that is."

Rory stopped, looked at Jess, then looked at the ground again. "I know," he said.

Rory looked up at him, her blue eyes worried. "Do you?"

Jess' eyes softened. "Yeah."

Rory smiled at him. "So, we're not fighting anymore, right? We're fine," she said.

"We're fine," Jess agreed.

He put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer to him. Rory put her arms around Jess' neck and looked into his eyes. Her smile widened; she liked what she saw. She felt happy because she knew that no one else looked into Jess' eyes and saw what she saw. In his eyes, she saw how much he cared for her, how he was happy when he was with her.

"What?" Jess asked as Rory just looked at him.

They were facing each other with their hips touching. Jess was about to kiss Rory when he remembered his swollen lip. "Nothing," Rory said.

She was looking into his eyes, and Jess couldn't help looking back into hers. He felt like he was drowning in them. She showed so much emotion through her eyes. 

When Rory had first come to talk to him, he had seen the nervousness and anxiety in her eyes. He had seen how desperate she was that he believe her when she said she was sorry and that she didn't have feelings for Dean. He had seen a slight flare of anger when she had asked him if he meant it when he had accused her of still having feelings for Dean.

But now…….she looked beautiful. Jess looked into Rory's blue eyes and saw that she was happy. With him. _Huh_, Jess thought.

Rory unexpectedly reached up and gently touched his lip. Not expecting it, he flinched. "Does it hurt?" she asked softly.

"Nah," he said.

They exchanged a smile, both knowing that he was lying. "You know, this could cause a problem with us," she said.

He knew she was talking about his swollen lip. "Huh. You think?"

"Yes. How are we supposed to kiss?"

"We can still kiss."

"But it'll hurt!" Rory said, looking worried.

Jess lowered his face to hers. "It'll be worth it," he said, so softly Rory could barely hear him.

Jess kissed Rory, ignoring the pain in his lip. Rory could tell it was hurting him, though, and pulled away. She kissed his face around his mouth, and then started kissing his neck. Jess let out a soft moan, but pushed her away. He had never been that good at staying in control around her. "You should get home," he said hoarsely. 

"Yeah, I have school tomorrow," Rory said, but she didn't move away from him.

His arms were still wrapped around her waist, and hers were still hooked around his neck. Their eyes locked, and neither could tear their gaze away from the other.

All of the sudden, they heard a noise from above the diner. "Jess?" they heard Luke call.

"Run!" Jess whispered to her with a grin.

She grinned back, and he gave her a kiss before she ran off. He winced. She was right, it had hurt. But he had been right, too. It was worth it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "RORY!" Lorelai yelled loudly, coming into Rory's room. "Hurry up! You've got 15 minutes!"

            "Too. Tired," Rory moaned from her bed.

            "Well, too bad. You're the one who just had to run off and see your loverboy. Now hurry up and get ready, and tell me the details on our way to Luke's."

            Twenty minutes later, Lorelai and Rory were on their way to the diner. "So?" Lorelai asked.

            "We made up."

            Lorelai couldn't help but smile. Her daughter looked extremely tired, but also extremely happy. _So maybe I hated Jess at first………well, hate is such a strong word……but, I have to admit, he's growing on me. He wasn't that bad during movie night - we had an actual conversation. Well, sorta. And he did one of the bad guys' lines in _Charlie's Angels_……that was really funny, actually. I'm going to have to tease him about that again. And I can't even remember the last time I saw Rory this happy. She must be right. He can't be that bad. She's practically glowing. _

"Hey, tone it down, Tinkerbell," Lorelai said to her daughter.

            "What?" Rory asked, confused.

            "You're glowing. Okay, I get it. Jess is just sooooo wonderful."

            "Mom!"

            Lorelai continued as they walked into the diner. She started pretending to swoon. "Oh, Jess. Kiss me! Kiss me!"

            Lorelai started making kissing noises. Rory sat down, turning red. "Mom!" she hissed.

            "Excuse me?" Jess asked, coming over.

            He looked at Rory. "She knows I'm not going to kiss her, right?"

            Rory looked at her mom, who was still pretending to faint in the middle of the diner. "Uh………right," Rory said, not sounding sure at all.

            She smiled at Jess, and she saw that look in his eyes again. That look that showed how happy he was to see her and how much he really cared for her. Lorelai came and plopped down in the seat across from Rory, and Jess quickly masked his expression, but Rory had seen it. She loved that look. It always made her feel happy and excited at the same time. 

            "Oh, no, I forgot!" Lorelai said, looking at Jess and clapping her hand to her forehead.

            "What?" Jess asked suspiciously.

            "You can't kiss me. Your lip's swollen."

            "What?" Luke asked, coming over to them.

            "Oh, hello, Lukey," Lorelai said cheerfully.

            She was so busy thinking about Rory and Jess and how to embarrass Jess that she had forgotten about her little Luke problem for the moment. "Me. And Jess. And - "

            "Mom!" Rory cut her off. "No. What have I told you?"

            Lorelai put on a sad face. "That I have to be nice and can't hit on your boyfriends."

            Rory nodded. "That is correct," she said in a mock-stern voice. "And you better remember it, missy."

Lorelai pouted. "But - "

"No buts," Rory said.

Jess looked relieved. Lorelai turned to Luke with big, sad eyes. "My daughter's being mean. I need coffee, coffee man."

"Fine," Luke said, pouring her a cup.

Rory, Lorelai, and Jess all looked at Luke in shock. "What?" Lorelai asked. "Did you just give me coffee willingly?"

"I saw it," Rory said.

"Me too," Jess added.

"Lucas? Explain this, so that I can figure out how to make it happen again," Lorelai said.

"I just want to get away from your conversation about Jess as quickly as I can," Luke said.

He walked away, and Lorelai shrugged. "His loss."

She turned to Rory and Jess. "So I meant to ask you. Did Luke catch you last night?"

"I ran," Rory said. "Did he get you?"

"Nope," Jess replied. "I went up and said I just took a walk. He was still half-asleep, I think."

"Hmm," Lorelai said thoughtfully.

"Oh no. Mom, what are you going to do?" Rory asked.

"Nothing!" Lorelai said, giving her an innocent look.

Luke came over again, and Jess saw a wicked gleam in Lorelai's eye. "So, Luke," Lorelai began. "You seem tired. Did you sleep okay last night?"

"What? Well, I had this weird dream, but - "

"Ooooh, I love dreams! Tell! Rory's good at analyzing them," Lorelai told him.

"I just dreamt I heard people talking outside the diner, and that Jess was gone."

Luke turned to Jess. "Wait a minute. That wasn't a dream, that really happened, right?"

"Nope."

"It didn't?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jess replied.

Lorelai giggled, but was silenced by a glare from Rory. "I think I'm going to leave again," Luke said.

"Aw, poor Lukey," Lorelai told him. "Now that Jess has crossed over to my side, there's no one on your side."

"When did I cross over to your side?" Jess asked.

Lorelai gave him a serious look. "I knew you had come to my side when you said that line from _Charlie's Angels. After that, all was lost."_

Jess rolled his eyes. Lorelai really was crazy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Rory, I'm home!" Lorelai called as she entered the house.

            It was a few days later, and Lorelai had gotten home early from work. It was barely four o'clock in the afternoon, and she knew Rory should have been home by now. 

            Lorelai looked around, but didn't see a note. Well, Rory was probably at Luke's with Jess or something. She had probably been expecting Lorelai to come home around dinner time, which was why she hadn't left a note.

            "I'll head over to Luke's after I change," Lorelai said out loud.

            She headed upstairs to change out of her work clothes. _Things are still normal between me and Luke, Lorelai thought as she changed. _

            _Well, why wouldn't they be? she asked herself. _He doesn't know that I know. Ugh. What do I know, anyway? Me and Luke. That sounds weird even in my head. Luke's my friend. Right? But I saw _it_, I know I did. So what do I do about it? __

Lorelai shook her head to clear her mind as she walked back downstairs. She couldn't think about the situation with Luke any more, she just couldn't. She hoped something interesting happened soon, something to distract her. It had to be something major. She needed a good distraction.

            On her way to Luke's, Lorelai's mind jumped to thinking about Rory and Jess. She smiled gleefully. Jess always tried to hide it around her, and everyone else, but she had caught it. She had seen the look in his eyes when he was with Rory, and she knew now that Jess was in love with Rory.

            _Hmm. I can't say I'm surprised. I guess I've seen it coming for a while now. Still, it's nice to know that Jess isn't using Rory……and that if Rory ever tells Jess how she feels, I'll know that the feeling is reciprocated._

Lorelai entered the diner. It was empty; no one else was there. She saw Luke, Rory, and Jess sitting with someone at a corner table, but she couldn't see who it was because Luke was blocking the person from Lorelai's view. 

            "Hey!" Lorelai called.

            She started walking towards the table. Rory got up and met her halfway, giving her a hug. "You're home early."

            "Yeah, well, I snuck out and left Michel in charge of this horrible group of business women from California. If he asks you, tell him I was abducted."

            "Got it."

            "Hey Lorelai," Luke said.

            "Hey Luke. Jess."

            Jess gave her a nod. "So, what's the big powwow about?" Lorelai asked.

            "Come sit down with us," Rory said. "I want you to meet someone."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Maggie sighed inwardly. When she had heard Rory say "Hi Mom" when someone had entered the diner, Maggie knew the inevitable had come. There was no way that Lorelai wouldn't put the pieces together. Luke and Rory had both seen it, but they didn't have the information Lorelai did. Lorelai would know.

            Still, when Maggie heard Rory say "I want you to meet someone", she froze. Luke and Rory were looking at Lorelai, but Jess noticed and gave her a strange look.

            "Okay. Who am I meeting?" Lorelai asked, standing next to the table.

            "Mom, this is Maggie," Rory said. "And Maggie, this is - "

            Maggie got up as Rory started to introduce her, then turned to face Lorelai. 

"Hello, Lorelai," she said softly, cutting Rory off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Lorelai's eyes widened. _It can't be! Can it? Same name, same face………it has to be!_

            "Margaret?" Lorelai whispered.

            She nodded. Lorelai's face broke out into a smile. "Aunt Maggie! Oh my God!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Maggie.

            Maggie smiled back and they hugged. "What are you - why did you - it's been a long time!" Lorelai said after they broke apart.

            "Twenty years," Maggie told her.

            "Wow," Lorelai said, still smiling. "Yeah, it has. I can't believe this."

            "Uh, Mom?" Rory interrupted timidly. "You know that you don't have an aunt Maggie, right?"

            "I know. But I've called her that since………well, since I could talk, probably!"

            "That must have been a horrible day," Jess muttered.

            Lorelai ignored him, not even looking in his direction. "Rory, Aunt Maggie and my mom have been best friends since they were little. So I just always called her Aunt Maggie."

            "You're the one that writes to us?" Rory asked.

            "Yes, that's me. It was nice to finally meet you," Maggie replied.

            Maggie had kept in touch with Lorelai after she had moved to England; after all, Lorelai was like a daughter to her.

             "What brought you back after all this time? Does Mom know?" Lorelai asked.

            "No, I haven't seen Emily yet. I wanted to……..you know……..get settled."

            "Oh."

            Lorelai's eyes just happened to slide from Maggie's to Jess', and all of the sudden she seemed to go pale. Lorelai just stared at Jess as if she had never seen anyone like him before. "Uh, Lorelai?" Jess asked, feeling uncomfortable under her stare. 

            He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Anyone there?"

            Lorelai looked at Maggie, then back at Jess again, and she gasped, then started mouthing wordlessly. "Lorelai? Are you okay?" Luke asked, concerned.

            Luke shot a look at Jess and Rory and saw that they looked surprised at Lorelai's behavior, but then he looked at Maggie and saw that she didn't look surprised at all. In fact, she looked like she was expecting it.

            "Oh my God," Lorelai finally said.

            She backed up a step. "Lorelai, please," Maggie began, trying to prevent Lorelai from saying anything.

            "Mom? What's the matter?" Rory asked worriedly, getting up and going to her mother.

            "Jess," Lorelai said sharply all of the sudden. "What's your dad's name?"

            Jess looked at her as if she was speaking gibberish. "What?" he asked.

            "Answer me!" Lorelai snapped.

            "Lorelai, please," Maggie said again.

            Jess looked from Lorelai to Maggie, then back to Lorelai again and answered her. 

"Jimmy," he said.

            After hearing that, Lorelai felt her knees go weak. She almost fell, but Rory steadied her. "Mom? Mom, what is it?" Rory asked, a panicked note in her voice.

            Jess and Luke had also gotten up. Luke took Lorelai's other arm and tried to get her to sit down, but she refused. Jess stood between Rory and Maggie. Lorelai ignored Luke and Rory fussing over her, and looked at Maggie. 

            "Maggie?" she asked, her voice sounding almost child-like.

            "Lorelai, I can explain."

            "It can't be," Lorelai said, trying to convince both Maggie and herself. "It can't be."

            "Lorelai, please, no one knows! Lorelai, listen to me," Maggie said, sounding desperate.

            "No one knows what?" Jess asked.

            "Lorelai! Please, Lorelai. Please. Don't. Let me. I'll explain."

            "They……." Lorelai's eyes landed on Jess. "They don't know?"

            "No. I'll explain. It's time, anyway."

            "Okay," Lorelai said, her voice growing stronger.

            Lorelai went over to the door and flipped the sign from **Open to **Closed**, and then she and Jess followed Maggie back to her table and sat down. Luke and Rory were still standing. "Sit," Lorelai commanded them.**

            "Mom, what's the matter?" Rory asked.

            "Lorelai, are you okay?" Luke said, voicing his own concern.

            "I'm fine. Sit. You need to listen to what she has to say."

            Lorelai was talking to Luke and Rory, but she was looking at Jess when she said it. Jess got the feeling that Lorelai was telling him that _he was the one who had to listen._

            But listen to what? What was Maggie going to explain?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note: _****Review! Review! Because guess what? *evil grin* I have the next chapter done already! It's up and ready to go……..but I'm not going to put it up until I get _lots_ of reviews! *evil laugh* Who ever said being evil isn't fun?**

**_Coming in Chapter 9_****………Finally, we find out who Maggie is! 'Bout time, huh?**

            ****


	10. The Truth Comes Out, Richie Rich

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

**~*~*_Special Mention: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Wow, I should use cliffhangers more often. Sorry I kept you all waiting for the next chapter (well, okay, it was kinda fun, but let me explain). See, I always wait until I have the next chapter written, so that when I write the "Coming in the Next Chapter" part at the end of every chapter, I'm promising you all things that will actually happen. So I had to wait until I finished the next chapter before posting this one. But don't worry, here it is!_**

**Oh, and thanks to gilmorelvr for her review! Yay, I have finally achieved my life's goal of being pure evil!!!! **

********************************************************************************

            Still looking at Lorelai worriedly, Luke and Rory sat. Jess was sitting across from Maggie and next to Lorelai, who was looking at Maggie. Maggie took a deep breath. "I think I should start from the beginning," Maggie said.

            Lorelai nodded. "Yes."

            Shooting a glance at Lorelai, Maggie began her story. "I lived in Hartford all of my life. I grew up with Emily Gilmore - " here Maggie smiled at Lorelai and Rory " - and we've always been best friends. I got married and had a son, and raised my family in Hartford."

            Maggie looked sad at the mention of her husband and son, but continued. "My husband James and I both loved our son very much, but after high school he started heading down a bad path in life. He dropped out of Yale and started hanging around a bad crowd and making bad decisions. He changed."

            Maggie paused, and Jess, Luke, and Rory noticed that Lorelai had been nodding while Maggie was talking about her son, and now also looked sad. Maggie went on. 

"About twenty years ago our son came to visit, and James and I got into a horrible argument with him. He left our house angrily, and that's the last time I saw him. A few months later, James died of a heart attack. Within months I had lost my entire family, and although my friends, especially Emily, were there for me, it wasn't the same. I had no other family, and even though - " Maggie's eyes were filled with tears, and she looked at Lorelai. "Even though Emily's family was like family to me, I just couldn't stay in Hartford any longer."

            Lorelai's eyes were also filled with tears. Jess was glad that they were finally learning more about Maggie, but he didn't know where this was going, or why Maggie and Lorelai felt that he, Luke, and Rory had to know Maggie's whole sob story. She looked like she was getting really upset just telling it, and he wasn't all that hot at comforting people. Jess snapped back to the conversation as Maggie began speaking again.

            "Richard's mother lived in England, and she helped me find a house and get settled. I've lived there for the past twenty years, keeping in contact with my friends back here, but still estranged from my son."

            Maggie hesitated, wringing her hands. She looked like she didn't want to continue telling her story, and once again Jess wondered why she was bothering to tell them at all. 

"Maggie, please," Lorelai urged, her voice soft.

            Maggie gave her a slight nod, and continued. "About two months ago, I ran into a friend of my son's, someone I hadn't seen for a long while and hoped never to see again. However, he told me something that I had been missing out on for the past eighteen years."

            All of the sudden Rory's eyes had widened. Lorelai and Maggie gave her small smiles. "Mom?" Rory asked, turning to Lorelai in disbelief.

            Jess and Luke still looked puzzled. What had Rory figured out that they hadn't? 

"Yes, I know," Lorelai replied. "But just listen."

            Rory and Lorelai both turned their gazes back to Maggie, who shot a look at Jess before continuing. "My son's friend told me that I had a grandson. He told me that my son had had a son of his own, then run out on him."

            All of the sudden, Jess felt lightheaded. What was she saying? Where was this going? Luke looked how Jess felt. Was this going where they thought this was going? It was impossible!

            Maggie noticed the expressions on Luke and Jess' faces and nodded. "Yes, it's what you're thinking. As soon as I realized I had a grandson, I left England and moved back to my home in Hartford, and started getting to know him."

            Jess and Luke just stared at Maggie, their minds refusing to comprehend what she was telling them. Maggie stood up, then told the end of her story.

            "My son's name was Jimmy, and my name is Margaret…………Mariano."

            Luke's head jerked up to look at Maggie, but Jess didn't say anything. He didn't even move. He was frozen, his mind spinning. Lorelai had stood up and hugged Maggie, and Rory had also stood up. Jess and Luke just sat there, both of them in a daze.

            Finally Luke snapped to and shot a glance at Jess before turning to Maggie. "Are you……..sure?" he asked her.

            Maggie nodded. "Luke, can't you see it?" Lorelai asked. "That's how I was able to put it together. I knew Maggie had a son named Jimmy, and she looks like Jess! It's their eyes."

            "And their smirk," Rory added softly. "I figured it out once she started talking because I knew her last name was Mariano from her letters. She always wrote us letters. Why didn't I see it before? I mean, I _saw the physical similarities, but I just didn't - "_

            "When were you going to tell us?" Luke asked, standing up. 

            "I wanted to get to know you, both of you, first," Maggie told him. "I wanted to form a relationship before dropping this on you. It was a huge shock when I first found out."

            "So that's why you've been avoiding Mom," Rory said slowly. "You knew that she knew enough to figure it out."

            "Yes."

            Maggie shot a glance at Jess, who was still just sitting there, staring ahead blankly. 

            "I should go," she said to Luke, Rory, and Lorelai, still looking at Jess.

            Lorelai nodded. "Let it sink in."

            Maggie nodded in agreement. "I will. I'll be back in a day or two," she told Luke.

            Maggie and Lorelai hugged. "It's so good to see you again," Maggie told her.

            "It's good to see you, too," Lorelai replied sincerely. "When are you going to talk to Mom?"

            "I'm going to go see her tomorrow."

            Maggie gave Lorelai a slight smile. "I'll be seeing you soon, I'm sure," she said.

            Lorelai gave a little laugh. "Mom wouldn't give us any other option. Not that I don't want to see you!"

            Maggie gave Lorelai another smile. "I know. I'll see you soon."

            And with that, Maggie left. Rory sat down next to Jess. "Are you okay?" she asked him quietly.

            "Yeah," he said, snapping out of his trance.

            Rory gave him a hug, but he didn't respond. She pulled away and shot Luke a worried glance. Luke came over to Rory and Jess. "Jess, I - " he started, but Jess cut him off.

            "I'm going out," Jess said, getting up.

            Rory got up too and followed Jess to the door, where he stopped. "I need to be alone," he said, not turning around.

            "Oh," Rory said.

            Rory and Luke both looked like they wanted to stop him, but Lorelai came over and opened the door. "Go. Be back by midnight," Lorelai told him.

            Jess shot her a grateful glance, then left without looking back. Lorelai went back and sat down. "Luke! I need coffee," she said.

            Luke just looked at her. "Are you crazy?" he finally managed to get out.

            Rory sank down into a seat next to her mother as Luke continued. "I just get the news that no, I am _not_ Jess' only other living relative, you tell my nephew he can go wherever the hell he wants until midnight, and now you want me to get you coffee?"

            "Um……." Lorelai looked like she was thinking about what he had said. "Yes."

            Luke sighed. "Fine. Let me put a pot on."

            "Good, I need some too," Rory piped up.

            "Coffee man? Better make that two pots!" Lorelai called to him.

            Rory and Lorelai heard a grunt in response. "Think he's putting on two pots?" Rory asked her mother.

            "If he is, it means that he's _really_ freaked out about this whole Maggie thing," Lorelai told her.

            Luke came back over and sat down at the end of the table. No one said anything for a moment, until Lorelai broke the silence. "So," she said. "We should talk about this."

            "Why?" Luke asked.

            "Yeah, why?" Rory echoed.

            "Hello! This is the biggest thing that has happened in any of our lives since Britney and Justin broke up. It needs to be talked about."

            "What about Billy Bob and Angelina Jolie?" Rory asked. "Or Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman? Remember how upset you were about their divorce?"

            "Don't try to distract me. You evil child. Those are horrible memories. I still can't believe it. Billy Bob and Angelina? Who else could they possibly find that's as weird as they are?"

            "Well, Billy Bob could always find you," Luke told her.

            Lorelai gasped, turning to him. "_I_ am saving myself for Brad Pitt!" Lorelai exclaimed.

            "But Mom! You don't want Brad and Jen to break up!" Rory said in mock-horror.

            "Now Mini-Me, what have I told you about that?"

            "If Brad breaks up with Jen, it can only be because he wants to be with you," Rory recited.

            "That's right. You see, Lucas? Billy Bob! I am insulted."

            Luke rolled his eyes. "Is the coffee ready yet?" Rory asked him.

            "Yeah. I'll go get it."

            "Forget the cups! Just give it to us in bowls!" Lorelai called after him.

            "Think he'll give it to us in bowls?" Rory asked her mother.

            They looked at each other. "Yeah right," they said in unison.

            Luke would never give them bowls of coffee, never. Unfortunately. Luke came back and gave them each a cup of coffee, then sat down again. 

            Lorelai and Rory drank their coffee, and there was silence again. "So…..tell me about what's been happening these past few weeks," Lorelai said.

            "What are you talking about?" Luke asked her.

            "Maggie. Do you guys like her? Does Jess like her? What did you think of her, before you knew who she was?"

            Rory and Luke looked at each other, and then Rory looked into her coffee cup.

            "Okay, tell me. What is it?" Lorelai asked, looking from Rory to Luke.

            "It's nothing. We like her," Rory said.

            "Honey, you were always a bad liar. I don't think you should start lying now. And just because you're looking down doesn't mean that I don't see your eyes doing that blinky thing."

            "My eyes do not do the blinky thing when I'm lying!"

            "Yes they do, and you know it. Now, tell me."

            Rory looked back into her coffee cup and stubbornly remained silent. "Fine," Lorelai said. 

            She turned to Luke. "Okay then, you tell me."

            "Tell you what? There's nothing to tell. I don't know what you're talking about. Then again, that's not anything new, since I never know what you're talking about," Luke rambled in his usual gruff tone.

            Lorelai pouted and batted her eyelashes. "Lukey?" she said, putting a hand on his arm. "You know you want to tell me."

            Luke rolled his eyes, and Rory pretended to start coughing. Lorelai distinctly heard her say 'Cleopatra'. She glared at Rory, then turned back to Luke, her pout back into place.

            "Fine. Yes, I - " he glanced at Rory. " - we liked her."

            "Especially at first," Rory added.

            "And, uh, we still, you know, like her," Luke said.

            "Right. We still do. She's very interesting," Rory said.

            Luke and Rory glanced at each other again. "Okay, stop, this is just weird!" Lorelai said. "Since when are you two so connected?"

            "Since Maggie came and Jess started……started……they have this connection - " Rory started to blurt out, then stopped.

            "Oh. I see," Lorelai said in an all-knowing tone.

            "No you don't. What do you see?" Luke asked, sounding irritated.

            "You guys are jealous."

            "What?" Luke and Rory asked at the same time.

            Lorelai gave a little laugh. "You're jealous of Maggie's relationship with Jess. Neither of you are used to sharing him. Hehe, this is getting good! So tell me more about it," Lorelai said, taking another gulp of coffee.

            "We are not jealous of anything," Luke told Lorelai.

            "Right," Rory added, sounding a little less certain.

            Lorelai gave them a look. "Not jealous. Maybe just a little…….surprised," Rory relented.

            "Yeah. Surprised," Luke said, looking at Rory and nodding.

            "Sure. And you call me Cleopatra?" Lorelai said to Rory.

            "Cleopatra?" Luke asked.

            "Because Mom is in denial. You know, Cleopatra? Queen of de-Nile?"

            Lorelai gave Rory a death glare. "Okay. What's she in denial about?" Luke asked, curious.

            "I gave you life, and I can take it away," Lorelai said to Rory.

            Rory smirked at her mother. "Jess would make your life miserable," Rory told Lorelai smugly.

            Lorelai gasped. "You would sic your boyfriend on me!"

            "How could I do that if I were dead?" Rory retorted.

            "Good point. But now I've told you my master plan, so you'll tell him in advance."

            Lorelai smirked back at Rory. "Hiding behind your big bad boyfriend? Hoping he'll protect you from your mother?"

            "I know who could protect you from him," Rory said innocently.

            "Okay, change of subject! So, Luke, are you seeing anyone?" Lorelai asked.

            Her eyes widened as soon as she realized what she had just asked. Why did she care? It had just popped out, she hadn't meant to ask Luke that. Because she didn't care. She really didn't. What did it matter to her? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

            "Uh, no. Do I even want to know what you two were talking about?" Luke asked them.

            Lorelai and Rory answered at the same time.

            "Yes," Rory said.

            "No," Lorelai said.

            Luke raised his eyebrows at them. Suddenly Lorelai hit her hand on the table. "You two! Trying to distract me! It won't work, I tell you! It won't work! Now tell me about the whole Jess/Maggie, you two getting jealous situation."

            "Okay, fine. But we're not jealous," Rory said.

            "Yeah. That's ridiculous," Luke added.

            "So?" Lorelai prompted them.

            "It's just……..now that we know that she's Jess' grandmother, it all makes perfect sense. It didn't surprise me, either. I mean, yeah, I was surprised, but it explained why Jess was always so drawn to her," Rory said.

            She frowned slightly. "We got into a fight because of Maggie once," she said.

            "You did? When?" Lorelai asked. "You didn't tell me about this."

            "It was last week. Luke wanted to talk to Maggie alone, so he asked me to get Jess out of the diner. I said I would, because I thought it would be no problem. But it turned out to be a problem. Jess didn't even want to go with me because _Maggie had just gotten there and he wanted to talk to her."_

            Rory had been unable to mask the slight annoyance in her tone. Lorelai was looking at her daughter, surprised, but Luke was nodding in agreement. "It's just little things like that," he told Lorelai. "You know that paper Jess wrote? Maggie got him to do it. Not me. I've been trying to get him to do schoolwork for the past year now, and he never did it until Maggie wanted him to."

            Lorelai was looking at both of them in surprise. She couldn't believe that the two of them really felt that way. It made her wonder if they felt that way about her, too. Jess was important in both Luke and Rory's lives, but Lorelai knew that she was important in both of their lives also. If she had been drawn to someone else, like Jess had, would they be just as upset? It certainly gave Lorelai something to think about, but she pushed it to the back of her mind for the moment.

            "And now that you know the truth?" Lorelai asked, her voice soft and gentle.

            Rory looked at the table, and Luke looked at the wall behind them. "It'll just take some getting used to," Rory finally said.

            Luke nodded. "Yeah."

            Suddenly he got up. "Look, it's almost six thirty, and if I open the diner again, I can still catch most of the dinner crowd."

            "Oh, yeah. We're leaving," Lorelai said.

            She and Rory also got up. "I'll see you later, Luke," Rory said, leaving.

            Lorelai hung back a little. "You're going to be okay, right?" she asked.

            "Yeah. Although tomorrow I'll probably try and talk to Jess. Who knows how that will go."

            Lorelai got a thoughtful expression on her face. "Right. Who knows," she echoed, her mind spinning with a new idea.

            "Hey Lorelai," Luke said as she turned to leave.

            She turned around to face him. "Yeah?"

            "Thanks."

            She looked at him. "For what?"

            "For, you know, listening to me. This thing with Maggie and Jess…….it's going to take some getting used to."

            Lorelai walked back over to him. "Luke, this is only the beginning. From now on, we're all linked."

            "What are you talking about?"

            "Maggie's linked to me, my parents, and Jess. Jess is linked to Rory, who's linked to me. He's also linked to you, and I'm linked to you, too."

            Lorelai shrugged. "We're family now. The Gilmores and Marianos have always been family. Even when Jess didn't know, he ended up being a part of Rory's life, which brought him into the Gilmore world. And you're his uncle, which brings you into our world too. We're all family now, Luke. Better get used to it."

            Then, to both Lorelai and Luke's surprise, she hugged him. Luke, although surprised, hugged her back. Suddenly they both realized what they were doing and broke apart. "I'll, uh, flip the sign on my way out," Lorelai said to fill the awkward silence.

            "Right," Luke said, going over to the table and picking up the coffee cups. "See you, Lorelai."

            "'Bye Luke."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So what did you and Luke talk about while I was waiting for you outside?" Rory asked curiously.

            Lorelai shrugged. "He said thanks for listening to him."

            "What'd you say?" 

            Rory and Lorelai kicked off their shoes and plopped down on the couch. "I told him he better get used to it because we're family now."

            "What are you talking about?"

            "Family. Rory, listen up, because you have to know this before we see my mother. I'm sure Maggie will have called her, and it's all she'll be talking about. The Gilmores and Marianos have always been family to each other. This includes us, my parents, Maggie, and now Jess and Luke."

Lorelai stopped, thinking of something. "Oh, that reminds me. Not only will my mother want to meet Jess, but there's a much greater chance that she'll like him, since he's Maggie's grandson."

"Oh. It seems like everything's changing."

"Well, it's a good change, I think," Lorelai said. "Do you know how thrilled my mother will be? She and Maggie have always wanted someone from our two families to get together. Thank God Jimmy didn't listen to his parents any more than I did."

"What?"

"Jimmy. Maggie's son - and wow, Jess' father. That idea is going to take some getting used to."

"You knew Jess' father?" Rory asked.

"Of course I did. He was several years older than me, but he was always nice to me. At first our parents wanted us to get together, but Jimmy and I were never more than friends. And then Jimmy……..changed, and my parents were glad that I had nothing more to do with him."

"This is definitely weird," Rory said, then got up.

"Where are you going?" Lorelai asked.

"I have to do homework. I do have school tomorrow, you know."

"Ugh, and I have to work tomorrow. Wanna play hooky?"

"No."

"You're no fun," Lorelai pouted.

"I know."

Rory yawned. "I'm so tired. Can we just order pizza later?"

"Yeah, sure babe. Hey!" Lorelai called, trying to sound casual, as Rory started walking away. "You don't think Jess is, you know, causing trouble somewhere, do you? Because then Luke would blame me."

"No. He's probably at the bridge."

"Why would he be there?"

Rory gave a small, secretive smile. "He goes there a lot."

"Uh-huh. I see. Go do your homework, missy."

Rory left, and Lorelai turned on the TV. She tried to pay attention the TV, but her mind kept jumping from Jess to Luke.

_Maybe I should go talk to Jess. I mean, I could answer any questions he has about Maggie or even Jimmy. I knew them well; he could ask me about them if he wanted. But then that would mean I would have to talk to Jess and be nice to him. Sure, he might be growing on me, slowly, but that doesn't mean I'm all ready to have a heart-to-heart with him. He better not be doing anything illegal, or Luke will have my head._

Lorelai sighed. Luke. _I can't believe I asked him if he was dating anyone. Where did that come from? I most definitely did not mean to ask him that. But……what if he were dating someone? That would be weird. It's always weird when Luke is with someone else………not because I like him in that way or anything, just because his girlfriends never understand that we're just friends. It's like they always think something is going on between the two of us. Which if ridiculous. Because we're just friends._

Lorelai frowned slightly. What was she watching? It looked like _Fear Factor or something. She changed the channel and found an old sitcom. She tried to pay attention, but her mind wandered back to Luke._

_Why did I hug him?_ Lorelai wondered. _It was an impulsive thing. It was like a welcome-to-the-family kind of hug. Yeah, that's what it was. But Luke hugged me back. _

A small smile crept onto Lorelai's face. _It felt really nice when he hugged me back. His arms were so strong and safe, and - _

"No!" Lorelai said out loud. 

She shook her head. _No way am I falling for Luke. That is ridiculous. Crazy. Because we are just friends. That's all. Nothing more. Just friends._

Lorelai changed the channel on the TV again. She needed to find something that would hold her attention. When her mind wandered, it was a dangerous thing. She found an old James Dean movie, and her thoughts jumped to Jess again.

_I could go find him now. Go to the bridge. Rory would never know. I could talk to him, then come back and order the pizza. It's not like Jess would tell anyone._

Lorelai shook her head. She couldn't believe she was actually thinking about going to find Jess. _Why would I do something stupid like that? The kid's finally starting to grow on me, kinda, in an extremely small way, and now I want to ruin that by having an actual conversation with him? I know he'll be rude as hell and just make me angry. So why am I even considering this?_

_Because he's family now_, a little voice in the back of her head told her.

This was getting much too complicated for Lorelai to think about anymore. But it was kinda comforting, in a way. Luke and Jess were a big part of Lorelai and Rory's lives, and now they were officially family. Lorelai smiled slightly. The thought wasn't altogether horrifying.

Lorelai turned off the TV. _That's it. I'm going to find the kid and talk to him_, she told herself resolutely. _For Luke's, Rory's, and even Maggie's sakes._

Lorelai got her shoes and put on a coat, then went to the front door. She opened it, then let out a gasp of surprise.

"Jess! You scared me," she said, her hand over her heart.

Jess was standing on the doorstep. "I was about to knock," he muttered.

Lorelai stood back and held the door open. "Come on in. Are you here to see Rory? She's doing homework, but - "

Jess was looking at the ground uncomfortably. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you," he interrupted. "But if you're going out, then fine, I'll just go."

Jess quickly turned around and started walking away, and Lorelai glanced inside her house, then made her decision. She closed the front door and followed Jess into the yard. "Hey, wait!" she called.

Jess stopped. "What?"

"I was on my way out, actually. I was, uh, I was going to come find you. To talk."

"_You were? What, did you three pull straws and you got the short one?"_

"Yes. So now _I'm the one that has to talk to you," Lorelai said, refusing to be put off by his sarcasm._

Jess shot her a surprised look. He was never really sure when she was joking or not, but usually she got annoyed when he was sarcastic to her. _Huh._

"So what are we talking about?" Jess asked as they walked.

"Well…….I don't know. I know Maggie and Jimmy pretty well. You got anything you want to know about them?"

"You knew my dad?"

"Of course I did."

"Oh, of course," Jess said sarcastically.

Lorelai sighed. "I have explained it to Luke, I have explained it to Rory, and now I shall explain it to you. So be quiet, no sarcastic comments until the end, please. Thank you very much."

Jess just looked at her as if she were crazy. "Okay, here goes. The Gilmores and Marianos - okay, you know what's weird?" Lorelai asked, immediately getting off track. "I've known your last name since forever, and it never even occurred to me that you could be Jimmy's son. I mean, Mariano, you'd think I would at least think of Maggie or Jimmy. But I never did. And I didn't have any dreams with you or Jimmy in them or anything either. This could mean I'm not psychic."

Lorelai seemed disappointed at the thought. "But maybe I wasn't supposed to know. No one was supposed to know, until the time was right. That's why I didn't dream about it. Because I am psychic, you know."

"I believe you," Jess said, remaining quiet as she rambled on.

"I'm not talking Miss Cleo psychic, I'm talking - has Rory said anything to you about me lately?" Lorelai suddenly asked, reminded of Rory calling her Cleopatra when she mentioned Miss Cleo.

"No. Why do you ask, Cleopatra?" Jess asked with his trademark smirk.

"I can't believe it! How much do you know?" Lorelai exclaimed, not really upset but pretending to be.

"How much is there to know?"

"She is not my child, you know. I found her on the street and thought she looked cuter than the guy I was supposed to go out with that night, so I brought her home instead."

"Huh."

"Yes. Because honestly, could I ever have such a crazy, lying child? She lies, you know. Constantly. She makes up these lies about me and Luke and about him liking me and me secretly liking him, and it's all lies."

"Yeah. She does the blinky thing," Jess said, playing along with Lorelai.

Lorelai's rambling was distracting him from the thoughts that had been swirling around in his mind for the past couple of hours. Lorelai shot him a surprised and appreciative look. She was surprised that he was playing along with her and appreciated that he wasn't openly being rude to her.

"Didn't know you had it in ya, Richie Rich," Lorelai said to him.

"Didn't know I had what?"

"Well, you played along with me right there. Only Rory does that. Well, Luke does sometimes. But no one else gets it. You get it! Wow, you really are a Mariano. This one time, at a party, me and Jimmy started this whole insane conversation, and everyone else thought we were completely crazy, so they left us alone, which was what we wanted in the first place. Then he snuck out and brought me back a beer. Ah, that's what got me through that party," Lorelai said, fondly remembering.

Suddenly she remembered who she was talking to and looked at Jess to see his reaction to hearing about his father. "Richie Rich?" was Jess' only response.

"Well, duh. You're the heir to the entire Mariano fortune, Richie. And there's a lot of it."

"What?"

"Maggie and your grandfather, James, were both only children. Jimmy was an only child. You're an only child. That means that you, Maggie, and Jimmy are the only ones left. Jimmy and Maggie have been estranged for twenty years now, so I doubt he'll be the one left with the money. It's all you."

Jess looked like he was digesting the information. "You really never thought of that? I mean, you had to know Maggie had money."

"Well, yeah, but………"

"Don't worry, I don't think your street cred will go down any just because you're rich all of the sudden."

Lorelai grinned. "We can say that you killed some guy and stole his money……or, I know, you're this huge drug dealer, so that's how you got all the money!"

Lorelai nodded, satisfied. "People would believe that."

Jess, once again, looked at Lorelai as if she were crazy. "Why do we have to tell them anything?" he asked.

Both Jess and Lorelai looked surprised after he said that. Never had Lorelai and Jess referred to themselves as a 'we'. They usually tried to avoid each other. Lorelai quickly spoke up to break the uncomfortable silence that had befallen them.

"This is Stars Hollow! You're lucky if everyone doesn't know already."

Jess shrugged. Lorelai and Jess continued walking. They had circled the town twice already. "So you really hadn't thought about the money?" Lorelai asked. "I know I would have."

"Nope."

"Oh."

They kept walking. Jess glanced at Lorelai, who was looking around, her hands in her coat pocket. It was kinda nice of her to talk and walk around in the freezing cold with him. 

"So what were you going to tell me before?" Jess asked, breaking the silence.

"What?" Lorelai said, looking surprised that Jess had initiated conversation with her.

"Before you started rambling about being a psychic."

Lorelai thought back. "Oh yeah. Oh! Okay, this is important. Rory and Luke understand, and now you have to, too. The Gilmores and Marianos have been family to one another since……….well, since I can remember. I mean, did you know that even after Maggie moved to England and I was on my own with Rory, she still wrote to me? I always liked her. When my own mother didn't understand me, Aunt Maggie always would."

Lorelai's voice had gotten quieter, and Jess knew that she was talking to herself rather than to him. Suddenly Lorelai tripped on a stick and grabbed Jess to steady herself. 

"This is why you shouldn't think and walk," Lorelai told him.

"Gotcha."

"Okay, so what was I talking about?" Lorelai asked, letting go of his arm.

"Many things."

"Yeah. But……..oh yeah. My mom and Maggie have been best friends since forever, and so we always really were one family. And now that we've found out that you're Maggie's grandson, that means you and Luke are part of our family too."

"How do you figure?"

"I just told you. You're a Mariano, and Luke's your uncle. That makes you family with the Gilmores. And……..well, I don't know if I should tell you this, but you've got to know."

"What?" Jess asked suspiciously.

"My mother and Maggie have always wanted to be a real family."

Jess gave her a blank look. "You and Rory?" Lorelai asked. "Remember her? You guys are dating? She's a Gilmore, you're a Mariano? Now do you get it?"

Lorelai thought she saw a panicked look in Jess' eye, and she grinned. "Don't worry. Just tell them you don't want to rush things and get married young."

Jess had a horrified look on his face. "Luke and I will try out best to keep them off of you two. But think of the bright side. My mother will probably love you now," Lorelai continued.

"Oh goody," Jess said, masking his face of emotion once again.

Lorelai laughed. "Exactly."

Lorelai suddenly turned serious. "No, but I really came out here to talk to you. I can listen, or you can ask me about Jimmy or Maggie or anything."

Jess didn't say anything for a moment, but Lorelai knew he was thinking of what to ask. "Why would she come to town and not tell anyone who she was?" Jess finally asked.

"Wow, you picked the tough one. Well, think of it this way. Maggie doesn't know anything about you, and you know nothing about her. She said she wanted to get to know you before she told you to form a relationship. I mean," Lorelai gave a little laugh. "What would you have done if she just showed up at the diner and said 'Hey, guess what? I'm your long-lost extremely rich grandmother'?"

Jess smirked. "Well - "

"Yeah, I know what a charmer you are to strangers."

"Hey, I try my best."

"Yeah. Listen, we either need to go home or sit down somewhere, because this is the most walking I've ever done in my whole entire life," Lorelai told him.

She started dragging her feet. "Don't. Think. I. Can. Make. It. Oooh!" she squealed. "We're home. Fred can make me coffee!"

"I thought Fred broke."

"Well, he did. But now he works again. I've been spending more time with him, so he's been working lately."

Jess gave her a strange look. "Huh."

"Yeah. Listen, we can just stop for coffee and then leave again, but I warn you, Rory might attack. Ooh, we could sneak in! I'm sure you're good at that."

Lorelai paused. "Then again, I don't want you to figure out how to sneak into my house. Scratch that."

"No, I'm gonna go," Jess said.

"Oh. Okay."

Jess walked away, then stopped and turned around. "Thanks," he called to Lorelai.

He smirked at Lorelai's shocked expression, then kept walking. Lorelai walked back into the house. _That was extremely odd. Did Jess just thank me? I didn't know he knew how to be polite. Well, okay, maybe calling it across someone's yard and then walking away isn't exactly polite behavior, but still. He was actually………not horrible. This is shocking. I must get to the kitchen and make coffee._

Lorelai sat down and was waiting for her coffee to be done when Rory walked into the kitchen. "Hey," Rory said.

"Hey. Done?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah."

She sat down across from Lorelai, and they both waited for their coffee. "Want me to order?" Rory asked her mother.

"Sure. Extra pepperoni."

"Obviously."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Jess went back to the bridge, where he had been sitting and thinking before he went to find Lorelai. He sat down, but instead of thinking about Maggie he was now thinking about Lorelai.

            _Huh. I guess if you're nice to people, they're actually nice back. Lorelai isn't so bad after all. I told Rory I would make an effort, and I did. I expected it to be extremely painful, though. I'm glad that it wasn't. Lorelai's actually pretty funny. Crazy, but in a funny way. At least, I think she was joking. It's hard to tell………but I never knew anyone could talk that much. Sure, Rory rambles on sometimes, but her rambling is nothing compared to Lorelai's!_

Jess threw a rock into the water and watched the water rippling. _The Gilmores and the Marianos. One family? And suddenly Luke and I are a part of that. That's gonna be weird. I hope they don't expect us to all go to those stupid Friday night things and talk about our lives or feelings. If we do, there's no way in hell I'm not dragging Luke with me. He'll probably hate it even more than me. Huh. That could be amusing. I don't know if it'd be worth it, though._

He thought back to the story Lorelai had told him about Jimmy. _Seems like he wasn't always so bad. Still………_

Jess remembered Maggie talking about how he had dropped out of Yale and started hanging out with a bad crowd. _That's weird. To think that my father went to Yale, and my grandmother is a millionaire. When I went into Chilton that one time to find Rory, I felt like I didn't belong. But I guess I would. I'm as blue-blooded as the rest of them._

Jess shook his head. _This is too crazy. But……I always knew there was just something about Maggie. She's cool. It could be kinda cool to have her as a grandmother. She doesn't put any pressure on me or demand anything from me. She just seems to actually like me, the real me._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Two hours later, it was almost ten at night. Rory was trying to read, but her mind kept jumping to Jess. She hoped he was okay and wasn't out doing something stupid. She wanted to go find him and talk to him, but he probably needed some space. 

            Rory thought back to dinner with her mom. Lorelai had told her that Jess was probably heir to the entire Mariano fortune. She asked her mom what that meant, exactly, and Lorelai had said that Maggie had millions of dollars, and was as involved in as many charities and the like as Emily was.

            _Jess, a millionaire? Jess is probably as rich, if not more so, than some of the other kids at Chilton. I can't believe it. And Mom thinks that Grandma will like Jess now. It's so weird. It's like it was meant to be, me and Jess. We both grew up away from our family's fortunes and pressures, but now we're slowly getting back to them._

Suddenly Rory heard a tapping on her window. She flung it open and found Jess standing outside. "Hey," he said.

            Rory immediately slipped into some shoes and climbed out her window. "Hey," she said back, moving closer to Jess.

            Jess wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. "Come to the bridge?" he asked, his voice muffled in her hair.

            "Yeah," Rory said softly.

            Jess released her, but Rory slipped an arm around his waist as they started walking. They reached the bridge and sat, and Rory leaned against Jess. They sat in silence before Jess broke it by speaking. 

            "Did you talk to your mom tonight?" he asked.

            "About what?"

            Jess knew then that Lorelai must not have told Rory that she had talked to him. "I just wondered if she mentioned anything about me," he said.

            "No. Why?" Rory asked curiously.

            "When you were doing your homework, she and I kinda talked."

            "You did?"

            "Yeah."

            "And you're both in one piece?" Rory asked.

            "Guess so."

            "Wow."

            Rory absorbed this piece of information. "She has a new nickname for me," Jess told Rory.

            Rory smiled slightly. "What is it?"

            "Richie Rich."

            Rory started laughing. "That's a good one! It fits, too."

            "What are you talking about?"

            "Mom told me how rich Maggie is. She has millions of dollars."

            Jess looked surprised, but quickly recovered. "Huh."

            "Yeah. She thinks Grandma is going to love you now."

            "Yeah, she said something about that to me."

            "Did she give you the whole 'one big family' speech?"

            Jess nodded. "Yeah. She said she gave it to you and Luke, too."

            "Yeah."

            They were silent again. "So what have you been thinking about?" Rory finally asked.

            She was dying to know, and couldn't put off asking any longer. Jess shrugged. "I don't know. Just trying to absorb it, I guess."

            "Are you upset?"

            "No."

            Rory looked relieved. "That's good."

            She was quiet, waiting for Jess to say something. "It's not a bad thing, right?" he finally said. "I mean, Maggie's cool."

            "Right."

            Jess looked at her. "What?" he asked.

            There had been something in her tone. "Nothing."

            "You're a bad liar."

            "So they tell me."

            "So?" Jess persisted.

            Rory sighed. "Okay, I like Maggie, really. I do. But Luke and I………"

            "You and Luke?"

            "Yes. We both like Maggie, but……..I don't know."

            "But what?"

            Jess didn't get what she was trying to say. "We don't want to get replaced," Rory said quietly, looking at her hands.

            "What?"

            Rory looked up and looked straight at him. "Me. I don't want to be replaced. I don't like being second to her. And Luke didn't like that he's been trying you to do homework since you moved here, but you didn't do anything until Maggie got you to. Not him. That's all."

            Jess looked surprised by her admission. He had no idea she and Luke felt that way. He had no idea he had even been doing that to them, either. Well, he and Rory had fought about it that one time, but he didn't know that Luke felt the same way Rory did. _Huh_, he thought.

            "You're not going to be replaced," Jess finally said.

            Rory shot a quick look at him, then looked back down at her lap. "Okay."

            Jess reached over and put a finger under Rory's chin, tilting her face up. He leaned forward and kissed her, and she eagerly responded. As the kiss progressed, Jess and Rory's hands wandered over the others' body. Each craved the other's touch, and when they finally broke apart for air, Jess pulled away, knowing that if it went any further he probably couldn't control himself.

            "You should - get home," he said.

            "Yeah," Rory agreed breathlessly.

            Jess walked Rory home, and she climbed back in through her window. "'Night Dodger," she said, leaning forward and giving him a kiss.

            "'Night Princess."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note:_**** Well, you know who Maggie is now! The mystery has been solved! Oh, dear. What will you do now? I know! Review! Review, review, and review!**

**And some of you guessed right about who Maggie is! You're just too smart!**

**_Coming in Chapter 10_****………..Someone catches Rory and Jess together, Maggie goes to see Emily, Jess and Luke talk (until they're interrupted), and the little lie Lorelai told her mother about her Valentine's Day plans is about to take a surprise turn.**

            ****


	11. Did Luke Just Say 'Brunch?

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            "I am so tired," Rory moaned the next morning, coming into the kitchen.

            Lorelai was sitting at the kitchen table with her chin propped up by her hand. "Me too. I'm going to call my mom and say you're sick so we can't come to dinner tonight."

            "But Mom - "

            "Rory, come on. We're both tired, and all she'll be doing is talking about Maggie and grilling you about Jess. Do you really want to deal with that so soon?"

            "Well, no, but - "

            "Come on. Do it for me. Please?" Lorelai pleaded.

            "Okay, fine," Rory relented. 

            "Yay!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            That afternoon, Rory was by her locker talking with Paris about Francie. She had put it off long enough. "Look, Paris, I have to tell you something. Francie really has it in for you."

            "What do you mean?" Paris demanded.

            "She's………she keeps coming up to me when I'm alone, and telling me that if you don't go along with her ideas, then she's going to make you look stupid and undermine your presidency."

            "She can't do that," Paris said firmly.

            "She might be able to. Francie's pretty influential………I just wanted to tell you what she's up to."

            "Well, thanks for the heads-up, Gilmore," Paris said.

            She looked behind Rory. "Looks like I can return the favor. Incoming bad boy."

            Rory turned around and saw Jess. "Hi," she said, giving him a kiss.

            "Hi."

            Paris cleared her throat uncomfortably. "I'll just be going now," she said.

            "Okay. 'Bye Paris," Rory said.

            "'Bye."

            Paris and Jess nodded to each other. "What are you doing here?" Rory asked Jess after Paris walked away.

            "I seem to remember hearing you say once that when someone drives you home, they get a dinner date," Jess said, moving closer to her.

            "Oh, really? I don't remember that," Rory said playfully.

            She backed up a step, but her back was against her locker. "Maybe I can jog your memory," Jess said, putting his hands against the lockers on both sides of her shoulders and effectively pinning her in place.

            "I don't know if you can do that. My memory's pretty bad," Rory said, looking into Jess' eyes.

            Jess grinned at her. "Then I guess I'll just have to keep trying."

            He kissed her, his mouth hot and demanding, and Rory responded, forgetting that she was in school. She reached up and twined her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his air. All of the sudden she heard a loud voice.

            "What is going on here?" a male voice demanded.

            Rory and Jess broke apart and Rory saw Headmaster Charleston rapidly approaching her and Jess. "Oh my God," Rory murmured. "That's the headmaster!"

            "Shit," Rory heard Jess mutter under his breath.

            "Miss Gilmore!" Headmaster Charleston exclaimed, sounding extremely surprised.

            "Yes, Headmaster Charleston?" Rory asked meekly.

            He recovered himself. "I can not believe you would do……you would do this here! In the middle of the hallway!"

            "I'm sorry," Rory said.

            He turned to Jess. "And you! Who are you? You don't go here."

            "Jess Mariano, sir."

            Out of the corner of his eye, Jess saw Rory raise her eyebrows at the 'sir'. _Hey! I know when I'm screwed and have to be on my best behavior, he thought defensively._

            "Mariano?"

            "Uh, yes," Jess said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

            He took a close look at Jess. "Any relation to Maggie? I heard she's back in town."

            Jess was surprised for a second. He didn't realize yet how influential his newfound grandmother really was. And he also wasn't used to the idea that he was Maggie's grandson.

            "Yes. She's my grandmother," Jess replied, the words sounding foreign to him.

            "Oh. Well. I'll let you both off with a warning. I know _your family - " he looked pointedly at Rory " - would be devastated to hear about your behavior, and I don't want to bother Maggie when she's just moved home. But I never want to see this from either of you again! Understood?"_

            "Yes," Rory and Jess responded in unison.

            Rory quickly grabbed her things, and she and Jess walked out to Jess' car, feeling Headmaster Charleston's eyes on their backs the whole time. Rory and Jess quickly got in, and Jess drove off.

            Rory exhaled as soon as Chilton disappeared from view. "I can't believe that just happened," Rory said.

            Jess smirked. "Afraid he'd tell your family?"

            "No!" Rory said defensively. "It's just embarrassing. Being caught like that, I mean. But you put in a pretty good performance."

            "Who's acting?"

            "Oh, please! You called him sir! I've never heard you call anyone sir."

            "Well, I didn't want to get you in trouble," Jess muttered.

            Rory smiled. "Thanks."

            They were silent for a moment before Rory spoke again. "I can't believe he knew Maggie," Rory said.

            "Yeah, that was weird."

            Rory thought about it. "Well, maybe not. Mom said that she's involved with charities and stuff like that, like my grandma is. That's probably how they know the same people."

            "Huh."

            "But still," Rory mused aloud. "It'll be interesting."

            "What will?" Jess asked suspiciously.

            "The first event that Maggie and my grandma drag us to. If today was any indication, Maggie is pretty high up on the social ladder."

            Jess threw Rory a quick look. "Did I miss something?"

            "Jess, I've known the headmaster for awhile now. He knows the parents of everyone at school, and he certainly doesn't care about calling and telling them what awful children they have. Normally he would have called my family and yours, and even if someone he knew had moved back, he wouldn't care about calling and telling them what problems their child has caused."

            "But he said he didn't want to bother Maggie," Jess interjected.

            Rory nodded. "Exactly. But what that really means is that he doesn't dare bother her."

            "And what does that mean?"

            "It means that she's pretty high up there."

            Jess looked at Rory again, then looked back at the road. "You figured all of this out from one conversation? And you know how these people's minds work?"

            Rory shrugged. "You'll figure it out soon too."

            "This is too crazy."

            "Yeah, it is. Welcome to my world."

            "Gee, thanks," Jess muttered.

            Seeing the scowl on his face, Rory tried to think of a way to distract him. "So, I meant to tell you," she said.

            "Tell me what?"

            "I think my memory might have been jogged a little."

            Jess smirked, remembering their earlier conversation. "A little?"

            "Yeah."

            "Well, I'll just have to keep working on it."

            They pulled into Rory's driveway, and Jess turned off the car and turned to face Rory. "I can be very persistent, you know," Jess said, leaning towards her.

            "Oh, I know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            That same afternoon, Maggie was standing on the doorstep of the Gilmore home in Hartford. She rang the doorbell, and waited patiently until a maid answered the door. 

            "Hello, my name is Ida. How may I be of service?" she asked politely, yet nervously.

            "Hello, Ida," Maggie said, suppressing a smirk.

            Emily obviously hadn't changed, and was still intimidating her maids. "I'm here to see Emily Gilmore."

            "May I ask your name?"

            "Well……..I suppose you may," Maggie said, now struggling now to smirk.

            Maggie waited, and Ida just looked at her blankly. "Well? Are you going to ask me?" Maggie prompted.

            "Oh, yes! Of course. What is your name?"

            "Well, I really don't think I want to reveal that just yet," Maggie said thoughtfully. "Can you just tell Mrs. Gilmore that an old friend is here to see her?"

            Ida looked nervous, and her eyes darted from side to side. "Well - but I'm supposed to - "

            "Just tell her."

            "Well, I - well, you'll have to wait here, then."

            Ida closed the door and Maggie knew she was probably running off to find Emily. Maggie now smirked openly. She was very kind to her own servants, but couldn't help but find it amusing when toying with other people's servants, especially Emily's. It always got Emily so upset.

            Maggie heard Emily and Ida approaching the door, and could hear Emily berating Ida. "How could you not get her name?"

            "She wouldn't tell me, ma'am!" Ida cried.

            "An old friend? If she's really a friend of mine, and you left her on the doorstep……" Emily's voice trailed off threateningly.

            Suddenly the door was flung open, and Maggie found herself face to face with Emily. "I hope you don't mind that I didn't leave my name," Maggie said. "I thought it would be better to surprise you."

            Emily had been staring at Maggie, but at her voice, she started. "Margaret? Come in!" Emily exclaimed, swinging the door wide open.

            She turned to Ida. "You," she barked. "Get us some tea."

            "Yes, ma'am," Ida said meekly.

            "Really, Emily," Maggie said, closing the door behind her as she walked into the Gilmore home. "I was just having some fun. Don't go blaming her."

            "Well, it's not the first time she's annoyed me. Last night, we didn't have dinner until seven thirty!"

            "No!" Maggie gasped, pretending to be shocked.

            Emily and Maggie sat down in the living room, and Emily couldn't help but smile. "Oh, Maggie, how do you always lighten every situation?"

            "By showing you how you've darkened it," Maggie responded promptly.

            The two women smiled at each other. They had only had a few visits over the past twenty years, but they had been friends since they were children, and easily slipped back into their old comaderie.

            "It's good to see you," Emily said. "I must say, though, it's quite a surprise. For the past twenty years, you've never come back to Hartford. I've always had to go and visit you."

            "No one was forcing you to visit me."

            "Now, dear, you know I didn't mean it like that."

            Maggie smiled, reaching across and taking hold of one of Emily's hands. "I know. But I have the most wonderful news."

            "Really?" Emily asked, looking excited.

            One was always excited when Maggie was sharing something with them. She had that effect on people. Maggie smiled at Emily. "I've moved back to Hartford."

            "No! Really?"

            Maggie nodded.

            "Oh, this is wonderful! Wait until Richard hears, he'll be so thrilled. Who else knows?"

            "Well, I'm sure the rumors have already started being spread. I moved back a few weeks ago, and by now, I'm sure my help have told other people's help."

            "A few weeks?" Emily asked, looking put out. "You've been back a few weeks, and you haven't come and see me once?"

            "I had a reason," Maggie said mysteriously.

            Just then, Ida reappeared. "Tea?" she asked Maggie.

            "Yes, please, Ida," Maggie said.

            Maggie felt slightly bad when she saw how nervous Ida was. She guessed that she had made Ida's situation with Emily worse. She took the tea Ida offered her and took a sip. "Oh, Ida, this is wonderful! Emily, I must say, this is some of the best tea I've ever had! Where did you find her?" she asked, shooting a smile towards Ida.

            Emily waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, you know. One of those maid services."

            "Well, if you're not careful, I'll snatch her up from under you!"

            Emily shot an appraising look at Ida, and didn't notice Maggie wink at the maid. "Well, we can't have that, now, can we?" Emily asked, looking more cheerful. "That will be all for now, Ida, thank you."

            Ida quickly left the room, shooting a grateful glance towards Maggie, who nodded to her. "Now, where were we?" Maggie asked pleasantly.

            "I believe I was asking why you hadn't come and see me before now," Emily said, sounding slightly irritated again. "Who else would you possibly see before me?"

            "Oh, Emily, you're the first from our circle that I've come and see. It's just……..I came back for a reason, and I had to see to that first."

            Emily sighed impatiently. "Stop being so mysterious! You know that doesn't work on me, it doesn't pique _my_ interest. Just tell me what you've been up to."

            Maggie smiled and shook her head. "Of course, I've forgotten that you could always see right through me. It has to do with my own family."

            "Jimmy?" Emily asked, looking surprised.

            "No, no. Not Jimmy. When I was in England, I found out that Jimmy had a son."

            "What?!"

            Emily looked shocked. "I ran into one of Jimmy's old friends in England. Well, truth be told, his friend found _me_. He wanted some money."

            "Oh, no, it wasn't that dreadful Brian boy, was it?"

            Maggie nodded with a scowl. "Yes, the very same. How he even found me, I'll never know. I guess he was just really desperate for money."

            "You didn't give him any, did you?" Emily asked, suspicious of Maggie's tone.

            "I wasn't going to……..until he told me something."

            "That you had a grandson?"

            "Yes. At first I didn't want to believe him, so after he told me what he knew I told him to come back in a day or two, that I'd think about giving him the money. I made some calls and verified that what he had told me was, in fact, the truth, so when he came back I gave him some money, told him I never wanted to see him again, and moved back to Hartford."

            Emily appeared deep in thought, as though she were digesting this information. "So, have you met your grandson? What did Jimmy say?" Emily finally asked.

            There was a hint of sadness in Maggie's eyes as she spoke. "Well, as it turns out, Jimmy left his son."

            "Oh. Maggie, I'm sorry," Emily said sincerely.

            Maggie sighed. "Well, my grandson was living in New York with his mother, but then his mother sent him to live with her brother, his uncle."

            "Oh? Have you met this uncle?"

            "Yes. So have you, I believe. Luke Danes."

            "No! Not………." Emily was doing some quick thinking, knowing that she knew that name. "That diner man?"

            Maggie nodded. "Yes."

            "Lorelai's dating him."

            "She's - what?" 

            Maggie knew that Luke and Lorelai weren't dating. Sure, the potential was there, but neither Luke nor Lorelai had acted on it. She _knew that. So what was Emily talking about?_

            "Lorelai. She's dating him……..Luke."

            "Are you, um, sure?"

            "Well, of course I'm sure. Lorelai told me herself."

            "Oh."

            Maggie didn't want to get in the middle of why Lorelai had lied to Emily about that - she always tried to stay out of Emily's and Lorelai's relationship - but she had to know what Lorelai had told Emily.

            "So, when did you find this out?" Maggie asked nonchalantly.

            "Well, it was about two weeks ago. We have Friday night dinners with Lorelai and Rory because - "

            "I know."

            "You do?"

            Emily stopped talking for a moment, looking surprised. "How do you know?"

            "I've kept in touch with Lorelai," Maggie said simply.

            "Oh. Well, Lorelai and Rory couldn't make the next dinner because they had Valentine's Day plans, and I was so sure that Lorelai was lying about it, but she said she had plans with that diner man."

            "Oh."

            _You're right, Emily, Maggie thought, with a hint of amusement. _Lorelai was lying about it. I wonder if Luke knows? This could get interesting.__

"So, tell me more. What about your grandson?"

            "Well, he works at Luke's diner. So a few weeks ago, I went in and started spending most of every day there - but I had to avoid Lorelai, because of course she would know who I was."

            "You didn't tell anyone who you were?"

            "No. They thought I was some crazy old lady, I suppose," Maggie said with a slight smile.

            "Hmmph. As if anyone ever thought that about you," Emily said, a grudging admiration in her tone.

            "Well, maybe not," Maggie admitted.

            "So why didn't you tell them who you were?" Emily asked. "That's the first thing I would have done."

            "Emily, please. My grandson is eighteen years old. I'm not just going to suddenly waltz in and tell him that I'm long-lost grandmother, the mother of the father who abandoned him! I got to know him first, without telling him who I was. I only told them my first name."

            "Them?"

            "Well, I did my mysterious lady bit to both Luke and my grandson, and it worked."

            "I see. It had him coming to you."

            "Yes. Both my grandson and his uncle. And I met Rory."

            "You did?" Emily asked, a smile lighting up her face.

            "Yes. I only avoided Lorelai. My grandson, Rory, and I had quite a few conversations about books."

            "Oh, so your grandson likes to read?"

            "Yes, he has that in common with me……..and Rory too, it seems."

            "Yes, she's quite the little reader," Emily said proudly.

            "Yes. And yesterday……..Lorelai came in, and before I could leave, she had come over to our table, and she knew."

            "How did she know?"

            "Well, my grandson has the same last name as I do. And she said we look something alike."

            "I see. Maggie, you never told me, what's his name?"

            "Jess."

            Maggie waited to see Emily's reaction. Did Emily know about Rory and Jess? "His name is - Jess?" Emily asked.

            "Yes."

            "And…….he lives in Stars Hollow?"

            "Yes."

            "But doesn't that mean that he's dating Rory?"

            "Yes."

            "Our……….our grandchildren are dating?"

            "Yes."

            Suddenly Emily smiled. "I can't believe it! Our grandchildren?"

            Maggie smiled back. "Yes."

            Suddenly Emily stopped smiling. "I haven't heard a lot of good things about your grandson," Emily told Maggie.

            "Really," Maggie replied, keeping her tone casual.

            "Yes."

            Emily looked around somewhat nervously. She didn't want to bring this up with Maggie, but she had to get it all out in the open. "Lorelai didn't like him much, especially at first."

            "Yes, I know. They're getting better, though."

            "He crashed Rory's car and broke her wrist."

            "I heard that story. Something about an animal in the road."

            "He's practically flunking out of high school. A public high school, mind you! What kind of college will he go to?"

            "A writers' one, actually."

            Emily stopped. "What?"

            "Well, Luke says it was my influence, but really I think it was his and Rory's. Jess wrote a paper for his English Lit class, and it was extremely well-written. His teacher called Luke in for a conference and told him that Jess could get into one of those specialty writers' colleges."

            "Really?" Emily asked skeptically.

            "Yes, of course really, Emily. Do you think I'm lying to you? Do you think my grandson has none of my writing skills?" Maggie asked, a slight edge to her voice.

            "No, that's not what I meant," Emily said hurriedly. "It's just……well, I suppose I shouldn't make judgments until after I meet him."

            "Yes, I suppose that would be a good idea," Maggie said, her tone pleasant once again.

            Suddenly Emily looked excited. "Oh, wait until everyone knows that you're back! People will be knocking your door down. I should throw a party for you! And………you should bring Jess."

            "A party? Oh, Emily, you know I don't like to make a big production out of things."

            "But don't you want to see everyone?" Emily pressed. "You know that everyone will be dying to get a chance to talk to you! Living abroad for twenty years, you must have so many stories – "

            "Please, don't rush into a party. Jess isn't………he only found out yesterday that I'm his grandmother. I need some time."

            "Well, of course, we'll wait. But there must be a party, Maggie, there simply must!"

            Maggie gave Emily a small smile. "Of course there must be, Emily, if you have anything to say about it. Look, I have to be going, but you should stop by sometime soon. I would invite you for dinner tonight, but I know that you have your Friday night dinners."

            Emily frowned. "Lorelai cancelled. She said Rory was sick, although I know that's not true. I have no idea what she's thinking half of the time, honestly, I don't."

            "Well, maybe this weekend you all could come and have dinner at my home."

            "All of us?"

            "You, Richard, Lorelai, Rory, Jess, and Luke. We could all get to know one another."

            "That would be nice. If I can even get a hold of Lorelai. She doesn't even answer her phone half the time, and you should hear her answering machine message! Sometimes it amazes me that she's my daughter, really, it does."

            Maggie smiled inwardly. She knew that as much as Emily complained about Lorelai, Emily loved her daughter very much. "You should try Luke's diner," Maggie told her. "Lorelai's always there."

            "Oh. You're right, I should. In fact, I think I will. Soon. When would you like us to come over for dinner?"

            "Well, I was thinking, maybe a Sunday brunch? That will give you some time to track down Lorelai."

            "All right. Sunday brunch it is."

            Maggie stood up. "Well, I must be going. Tell Richard I said hello, and can't wait to see him on Sunday."

            "Of course I'll tell him. I'll see you on Sunday," Emily said, also standing up.

            The two older women hugged, and then Maggie left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The next morning, Maggie made her way to Luke's. It was only eight-thirty in the morning, and the diner was about half-full. Maggie didn't see Jess anywhere, but Luke was behind the counter.

            Maggie sat down at her usual table and waited for Luke to come over to her. "Hello, Luke," she greeted him as he came over.

            "Maggie! Hi. Um, how are you?" Luke asked awkwardly. 

            Maggie suppressed a smile. "I'm fine. I'd like some tea, please."

            "Of course," Luke said, sounding relieved.

            Maggie always ordered tea. It was normal. Things didn't seem so different after all. Luke brought Maggie her tea, and Maggie spoke to him. "I went and saw Emily Gilmore yesterday," she told him.

            "Oh," Luke said, trying his best to sound interested, but inwardly wondering why she was telling him this.

            "She wants to meet Jess."

            "Because he's your grandson?"

            "Well, yes. But also because he's Rory's boyfriend."

            Luke winced. "I don't know how great of an impression he's going to make."

            "Well, Emily wanted to meet him, and I want the two of you to see my home. Emily and Richard are coming over on Sunday for brunch, and I wanted to know if you and Jess could come."

            "Jess………_and me?" Luke asked._

            "Of course. He lives with you. You're his uncle and guardian. Did you think I was just going to cut you out of the picture?"

            "Well……..no………." Luke said unconvincingly.

            "Well, now you know. I'm not trying to take over here. Emily's going to ask Lorelai and Rory to come, too."

            "Oh."

            "So can you come?"

            "Well………sure, I guess," Luke finally said. 

            He paused, looking around the diner. "Jess is still sleeping," he told Maggie. "But I can tell him we're going."

            "I'm sure you want to talk to him," Maggie said. "Maybe I'll stop by later for dinner and talk to him then."

            "Okay," Luke said, sounding relieved once again.

            Maggie stood up and took some money out of her purse for her tea. "It's on the house," Luke told her.

            Maggie smiled at him. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

            Luke looked slightly uncomfortable, but gave her a brief smile. "No problem."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Get up!" Luke said, barging in to Jess' room.

            "What the hell?" Jess asked, disoriented, as Luke started pacing in front of him.

            "We need to talk."

            "Stop pacing, you're making me sick."

            "Are you hung over?" Luke suddenly asked.

            "What? No!"

            "Where were you yesterday?"

            "You woke me up to ask me that?" Jess asked, pulling the covers back over his head.

            "Yes."

            "Then get the hell out! I'm trying to sleep here."

            "I'm not leaving until you tell me."

            Jess let out a sigh of frustration. "Fine. I talked to Lorelai for awhile, and then Rory."

            "You talked to Lorelai?" Luke asked, ripping the covers off of Jess' bed.

            "We ran into each other. Ask her if you don't believe me, just get out and let me sleep."

            "It's eleven o'clock in the morning."

            "It's still morning, and I'm still going to be sleeping," Jess said, pulling his covers away from Luke.

            "No you're not."

            "Yes I am. Get out."

            "We're not done talking," Luke told him.

            "I am!"

            "Maggie was here this morning."

            Jess sat up. "Huh."

            "She went and saw Lorelai's mother last night."

            "So?" Jess asked.

            "She's having Lorelai's parents, Lorelai, and Rory over tomorrow for brunch."

            "Did you just say the word brunch?" Jess asked with a smirk.

            "Yes."

            "Huh."

            "What?" Luke asked, sounding irritated.

            "Nothing."

            "We're invited, too," Luke continued.

            "What? I am not going to a brunch."

            "Yes you are."

            Jess squinted up at Luke. "I say I'm not."

            "I told Maggie we'd be there," Luke said, now even more irritated.

            "Oh, Uncle Luke, you shouldn't have," Jess said sarcastically.

            "She said she's going to come back for dinner tonight."

            "Dinner and brunch? What else is on our social calendar?"

            Luke scowled. "This is not a joke. This is you getting to know your grandmother, seeing her house, and making a good impression on Rory's grandparents."

            "I already know my grandmother, it's probably a mansion, and why would I want to make a good impression on Rory's grandparents?"

            "Because they're Rory's family, and Maggie's friends. Just don't be yourself."

            "Gee, Uncle Luke, you sure know how to make a guy feel special."

            Luke didn't say anything for a moment. "What do you mean, it's probably a mansion?" Luke finally asked.

            "Lorelai told me that Maggie's loaded."

            Luke ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Great. Do you know what that means?"

            "That I don't have to work and I'll still have money?"

            Luke glared at him. "No. That we'll have to dress up tomorrow."

            "What? I am not dressing up. I don't even have anything nice."

            "Well, a Metallica t-shirt is definitely not going to cut it!" Luke told Jess, annoyed.

            "Neither is a flannel!" Jess shot back.

            Suddenly the door swung open and Lorelai stood in the doorway. "Do I hear you two discussing fashion?" she asked.

            "No!" they both replied quickly.

            Rory followed her mother in. "I heard it."

            "Me too."

            "What will we do with this new piece of information?" Rory asked her mother.

            "I don't know, we'll have to think of something."

            Lorelai surveyed Luke and Jess, then smirked. "Why were you talking about what you're going to wear?" she asked.

            "Hasn't your mother told you yet?" Luke asked.

            "Told me what?" Lorelai asked, her smirk disappearing.

            "Maggie went and talked to her yesterday."

            "Really? We skipped dinner last night, so I haven't talked to her."

            "Well, Maggie came in this morning and told me that she's invited your parents to her house tomorrow……….for brunch."

            "Did Luke just say the word brunch?" Lorelai asked Rory.

            "You know, I think he just might have," Rory replied.

            Both she and Lorelai were still standing in the doorway. "Get out of my room!" Jess told them.

            "Well, somebody's grumpy this morning," Lorelai said.

            Rory came over and sat down on Jess' bed. "Aw, poor baby," she teased.

            Jess sat up again and put his arms around Rory, pulling her into his lap. "Good morning," Rory giggled, giving him a kiss.

            "Ew! I'm blinded!" Lorelai cried dramatically.

            She came in and sat down on Jess' bed next to Rory. "Hi Jessie," she said, bouncing up and down on the bed.

            "Hi Lori – "

            "Don't you dare!" Lorelai said, sticking a warning finger in his face.

            Jess smirked at her. Lorelai decided to ignore him, and got up and walked over to Luke. "So what does my parents going to Maggie's have to do with any of us?"

            "We're all invited, and expected to go," Luke grunted.

            "Oh, great. I get us out of Friday night dinners, and I still have to see my parents! This is your fault," Lorelai said, pointing at Jess.

            Jess shrugged, trying not to smirk. He had to admit that he wanted to see Maggie's home, and it could be funny to see Lorelai with her parents, from what he had heard. 

            "Come on, Mom, it could be fun," Rory said, also getting up.

            "Oooh, and you guys don't know what to wear! Mini-Me, we get to dress them!" Lorelai told Rory excitedly.

            "No!" Luke said vehemently.

            Lorelai pouted. "Come on, I can help. I want to dress you!"

            She turned to Rory. "You get that one," she said, jerking her head towards Jess.

            Rory pouted. "Hey, he'll be harder!"

            Jess smirked, and got up. He wasn't wearing a shirt, only pajama pants, and Lorelai covered her eyes. "He's not dressed!" she shrieked. "I never want to see again!"

            Jess rolled his eyes, pulling on a shirt. "Lorelai, please, just go downstairs," Luke said.

            Lorelai winked at him. "See you down there," she said, trying to sound sexy.

            Luke rolled his eyes, and Rory and Lorelai left. "Get dressed," Luke told Jess. "You have to work this morning. And yes, we are going to brunch tomorrow."

            "You can't tell me we're going to let them dress us."

            Luke sighed. "How could we stop them?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Lorelai and Rory were giggling together as they made their way downstairs into the diner. "We get to dress them!" Lorelai exclaimed gleefully.

            "Lorelai!" came a sharp female voice.

            Lorelai and Rory looked up and saw that Emily was in the diner. "What's she doing here?" Lorelai muttered to Rory.

            "I don't know," Rory murmured quietly back.

            Lorelai, with Rory following her, made their way over to where Emily was sitting. "Mom! What are you doing here?" Lorelai asked.

            "Well, I need to talk to you, and you never answer your phone."

            "Oh."

            Both Lorelai and Rory sat down at Emily's table. "We have been invited to brunch at Maggie's tomorrow," Emily informed them.

            "Uh-huh," Lorelai said.

            "You two are expected to come."

            "Okay."

            "Okay?" Emily asked skeptically.

            Lorelai shrugged, not telling Emily that she already knew about the brunch. "Sure."

            Just then, Luke came down the stairs. "Oh, there's the diner man……….I mean Luke!" Emily said, quickly correcting herself. "I have to go talk to him."

            "What? I mean – Mom – why?" Lorelai asked, trying not to sound panicked.

            "Lorelai, I can talk to him if I want to. Why wouldn't I? He's your boyfriend, and I want to talk to him. I have to ask him something."

            "No – Mom – wait!"

            _Oh no! Lorelai thought, turning panicked eyes towards Rory. _Mom thinks Luke and I are dating, and Luke doesn't know that I told her that! I can't let her talk to him!__

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note:_**** Review, please! It's what keeps me going! And you DO want me to keep going and writing this, right? Right? Review!**

**_Coming in Chapter 11………_****I hope Lorelai has time to tell Luke what's going on! And you'll never guess who _else_ ends up going to Maggie's! Plus………who has a moment, and who meets up with an unexpected person?**

            ****


	12. Don't Get Your Thong In A Bunch

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            "Lorelai, what is the matter with you?" Emily asked as Lorelai grabbed her arm to stop her from getting up.

            "Nothing. I - just wait a minute, okay? I have to - to do something first," Lorelai said, jumping up and practically running over to Luke.

            Emily and Rory watched as Lorelai grabbed Luke's arm and dragged him back upstairs. "Is she doing what I think she's doing up there?" Emily asked.

            "Oh, no, Grandma, don't worry," Rory said distractedly. "It's nothing like that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Lorelai, what the hell are you doing?" Luke asked her as she dragged him upstairs.

            Jess stopped behind the door to listen. "My mother's here!" Lorelai wailed.

            "So? What, want me to hide Jess?"

            Lorelai paused. "That's probably a good idea. But listen, she's going to come over and talk to you."

            "What? Why?"

            Jess smirked. He knew why. "I'll explain everything later, I promise, but we have to pretend we're dating!"

            "What?"

            "Luke, please!"

            "Why?"

            "I'll explain later!" Lorelai cried.

            Just then Jess opened the door, smirking. "Lorelai told her mom that you two were dating," he told Luke.

            "What?" Luke asked, turning back to Lorelai, who was glaring at Jess.

            "How did you know that?" she snapped.

            Jess raised his eyebrows at her, and he saw that she realized that Rory must have told him. "Why would you tell your mother that?" Luke asked.

            "I told her I was going out with you on Valentine's Day because I was trying to get out of Friday night dinner, and - oh, I'll explain everything later, but Luke, please!"

            "All right, all right," Luke said gruffly.

            "Thank you!"

            Luke and Lorelai turned and started walking back downstairs, and Luke looked back at Jess. "Don't come down," he called up to him.

            Jess just smirked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Lorelai came down and sat down by Emily and Rory again. "I'm going to talk to him," Emily told Lorelai.

            "Why?" Lorelai asked, in a much calmer tone.

            "I need to ask him something!"

            "Fine, but I'm going with you," Lorelai said, seeing that her mother was determined to talk to Luke.

            "Fine," Emily replied, getting up and walking towards Luke.

            Lorelai shot a resigned look at Rory before following her mother. "Hello, Luke," Emily said.

            "Hello, Mrs. Gilmore," Luke returned politely.

            Lorelai went over and stood next to Luke. "I wanted to ask you something," Emily said, looking at the two of them strangely.

            Luke and Lorelai were standing next to each other, quite a distance between them. "Wait - you two _are_ dating, aren't you?" Emily asked, looking at Lorelai suspiciously.

            Lorelai moved closer to Luke, linking her arm through his and leaning against him. "Are you calling me a liar?" Lorelai asked indignantly.

            "Well……I suppose not. Anyway, Luke, I would like to invite you and Jess to brunch tomorrow at Maggie's," Emily said, turning to Luke.

            "That would be great, thanks," Luke said.

            Emily gave him a smile. "Excellent. Now - "

            All of the sudden, two people walked into the diner, and Rory jumped up to greet them. "Dad!" they heard her say.

            "Oh my God!" Lorelai muttered softly.

            She looked up at Luke as Emily hurried over to Christopher, Sherry, and Rory. "We still have to pretend for just a little bit longer," Lorelai told him quietly.

            Luke shook his head. "There better be a really good explanation for this," he said, and the two of them made their way over to Emily, Rory, Christopher, and Sherry.

            "Lorelai! I bet you're surprised to see us, aren't you?" Sherry asked in a bubbly tone.

            "Hiya, Sherry. Yes, I am a little, uh, surprised. You two didn't say you were coming."

            Chris opened his mouth to say something, but Sherry continued speaking. "Oh, well, it was a spur of the moment trip. We dropped Gigi off at my parents' place, and I just know that Chris has been dying to see Rory, and so have I, so here we are! I'm just so happy to see Rory again! And you too, of course, Lorelai!"

            Sherry stepped forward to give Lorelai a hug. Lorelai reluctantly let go of Luke's arm and gingerly gave Sherry a hug. They quickly broke apart, and Sherry looked at Luke. "Hi, I don't believe we've met," Sherry said, sticking out her hand. "I'm Sherry, Chris' fianceè."

            "I'm Luke," Luke said gruffly, shaking Sherry's hand.

            "Oh, this is your diner? It's so adorable! And I know that Rory just loves it here!"

            Rory, seeing the look on Luke's face at Sherry's perky dialogue, gave him an encouraging smile. Luke glanced at Rory, then looked at Sherry. "Uh, thanks," Luke said.

            Sherry beamed at him. "Luke and Lorelai are involved," Emily told Sherry.

            "Really," Chris said, finally getting a chance to speak.

            "Yeah. Hi Chris," Lorelai said, giving him a hug.

            "Hey Lor. When did - " he gestured between Luke and Lorelai - "this happen?"

            Luke looked at Lorelai. After all, he had no idea how long she had told her mother that they had been dating. "Oh, a couple of weeks - almost a month, in fact," Lorelai said, coming over to Luke again. 

            She put her arms around Luke's waist, and was surprised when Luke did the same, putting his own arms around Lorelai. "Oh, you two are just so cute!" Sherry exclaimed.

            She turned to Rory. "Now, Rory, we realize this is short notice, but we'll be here for a few days. What do you say about us spending the weekend together? And your dad, too, of course!" she said with a small laugh.

            Emily glared at Sherry, and Rory glanced at Lorelai. "Well, yeah, um, that would be nice. It's just that tomorrow, we already have plans," Rory said.

            "And they can't be altered just a teeny tiny bit?" Sherry asked.

            "No," Emily spoke up. "We're having brunch with a friend of mine who's just moved back."

            "Really? Who?" Chris asked.

            "Margaret Mariano," Emily replied.

            "Margaret's back?" Chris asked. "I had no idea."

            "Well, she's only recently moved back," Emily told him.

            "Why the sudden move? If I remember correctly, she couldn't wait to leave Hartford," Chris said.

            Emily glanced at Luke and Lorelai, not sure of how much to tell Christopher. She finally decided to be brief. "She found out that Jimmy had a son, and moved back to get to know him," Emily said shortly.

            "Really? Jimmy had a son?" Chris asked.

            "Yes. His son, Jess, lives here. Luke is his uncle."

            "Really? That's so weird!" Sherry cut in.

            "Yes, well," Emily said, clearly not wanting to speak with Sherry at all.

            "So you're all going to Maggie's tomorrow?" Chris asked.

            "Yes. Jess is Rory's boyfriend," Emily informed him.

            "Oh _really_," Chris said, turning to look at Rory. "You never told me that, young lady."

            Rory smiled. "Must have slipped my mind."

            "Yeah, I'll bet. Any chance I could meet him?"

            "Oh, well - " Rory didn't know what to say, but she didn't have to worry about it, because Sherry interrupted her.

            "Oh, Mrs. Gilmore, do you think we could come tomorrow, too? Then we could meet everyone!" Sherry exclaimed, sounding delighted.

            "Oh. Well - " Emily glanced at Luke and Lorelai, who have her helpless looks, then turned back to Sherry. "I suppose so."

            "Great! This will be _so_ great!" Sherry gushed.

            Emily glared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            After Chris, Sherry, and Emily had left, Rory and Lorelai went back to their table, followed by Luke. "Lorelai, I need to talk to you," he said.

            "Can it wait?" Lorelai asked innocently.

            "No. Why did you tell your mother we were dating?"

            Rory stifled a giggle. Jess came downstairs and, seeing the three of them, walked over to their table, plopping down next to Rory. "What'd I miss?" he asked.

            "My dad and his fiancée, Sherry, are coming to Maggie's tomorrow," Rory told him.

            "Great. This is just getting better and better," Jess said.

            "Jess, shut up. Lorelai, answer me," Luke demanded.

            Lorelai spoke quickly, looking down at the table, her words coming out in a rush. "Rory and I were trying to get out of the Friday night dinner on Valentine's Day, because Rory had plans. And I wasn't going to go to dinner with my parents by myself, so I said I had plans too. But for some reason, my mother seemed to think I was lying - "

            "You were," Jess interjected.

            "Sssh!" Lorelai told him in a dramatic whisper. "Where was I? Oh, yes. For some reason, she thought I, sweet, innocent little Lorelai, was lying to her, my own mother, and so she asked me what my plans were, and I said I had a date."

            Lorelai stopped talking and looked up, but Luke was still glaring at her. She quickly looked back down again. "And, um, she asked me who I was dating, and your name just kinda popped out. And……..well, she still thinks we're dating."

            "Then tell her we broke up."

            "I can't! Tomorrow we're all supposed to have brunch tomorrow, and if I tell her we broke up, then she'll want to know why we're both still coming, and why we're acting like everything's fine."

            "We can't pretend to be dating tomorrow! Maggie knows that we're not, remember?" Luke reminded her.

            "She won't say anything to my mom, though," Lorelai told Luke.

            Luke just looked at Lorelai. "Do you realize how crazy this is? Don't you think Christopher knows you well enough to figure it out?"

            "We just have to be really convincing!" Lorelai told him.

            "If I catch you two making out in a corner - " Jess began.

            Rory giggled, but Luke and Lorelai both glared at them. "Fine," Luke said. "I'll do it. But after tomorrow, you have to tell your mother that we broke up."

            "I will," Lorelai promised.

            Luke scowled, getting up. "Come on. Get to work," he told Jess.

            "See you later," Rory told him.

            "Why?" Jess asked suspiciously.

            "You didn't think we were going to forget about dressing you two, did you?" Lorelai asked.

            She grinned wickedly at Jess. "Maybe Sherry wants to help!" she told Rory.

            Rory smiled at the look of horror on Luke's face. "Mom! I would never be so cruel as to subject my boyfriend to that. I _do_ like him………kinda."

            "Hey!" Jess said in mock-hurt.

            Lorelai and Rory got up. "I'll see you at two o'clock sharp," Rory told Jess.

            "Yes ma'am."

            Rory smiled. "Good boy."

            She gave him a quick kiss. At the same time, Lorelai was talking to Luke. "I'm coming over this afternoon to help you pick something out," she told him.

            "No you're not."

            "Yes I am."

            "No you're not."

            "Yes I am, mister, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

            Luke sighed resignedly. "Fine. Just go now."

            "Okie dokie. See you later, Lukey."

            With that, Lorelai and Rory left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Mom! Come on, we're supposed to be at Luke's by now!" Rory yelled upstairs to her mother at two o'clock that afternoon.

            Lorelai came downstairs. "What's the rush?"

            "I'm having dinner with Dad and Sherry tonight, remember? I have to have enough time to drag Jess to some stores."

            Lorelai and Rory left the house and started walking towards Luke's. "Can I come? Pleeeeeease?" Lorelai whined. "I wanna make Jessie go shopping."

            Rory giggled. "Go ahead, ask him," she said.

            Rory smacked her forehead. "Oh, wait, I forgot," she said, pretending to remember something. "You're helping Luke pick out something to wear."

            Lorelai quickly looked at Rory. "What's that supposed to mean?"

            "Nothing."

            Rory softly started humming that annoying song 'Cleopatra Comin' Atcha'. Lorelai frowned, trying to think of what song Rory was humming, and as they entered Luke's, it hit her. "You!" Lorelai said loudly. "You…….you……."

            "I what?" Rory asked innocently.

            "I know what you're doing. Evil child!"

            Luke and Jess came over to them, and Rory looked up at them with big eyes. "I'm not evil," she told them.

            "Uh, right," Luke said, not knowing what was going on, as usual.

            "You're the spawn of Satan," Jess told her.

            "Hey!" Rory said, punching him on the arm.

            "Ha ha!" Lorelai said, sticking her tongue out at Rory.

            There was a pause, and then Lorelai realized what Jess had just said. "Hey! I am not Satan!" Lorelai said indignantly.

            Luke rolled his eyes. "Aren't you leaving?" he asked Jess.

            "No."

            "Oh yes you are," Rory told him.

            "No."

            "Yes."

            "No."

            "Yes," Rory persisted.

            "No."

            "See? I told you, he doesn't want you to dress him," Lorelai told Rory.

            She looked at Jess. "He wants _me_ to pick out clothes for him!"

            "No!" Jess said in horror, taking a step back.

            Rory giggled. "Come on then," she said, pulling on Jess' arm.

            "Jessie! I'm hurt!" Lorelai told him, slumping into a nearby chair dramatically.

            She clutched her chest, her hand over her heart. "You got me right here!"

            Jess rolled his eyes, then gave in to Rory's pulling on his arm and started following her. "Wait!" Luke called after them. "You probably need money."

            Jess turned around, an evil grin on his face. "Yes, I do," he said, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody.

            Luke took out a credit card, looked at Jess, then handed it to Rory. "For his new clothes _only_," he emphasized to Rory.

            She nodded, and Lorelai smirked. "He's too smart for ya there," she told Jess.

            "Uncle Luke, I'm hurt that you don't trust me," Jess told him.

            Luke rolled his eyes. "You should be used to the pain by now."

            Rory and Jess walked towards the door. Lorelai waved and blew Rory kisses, calling after her, "Don't forget, a pink shirt is a must!"

            "No way in hell," Jess muttered under his breath.

            Rory grinned, and the two made their way to Jess' car. They got in and Jess started the car, then turned to Rory. "Where are we going?" he asked her cautiously.

            "The mall in Hartford," she responded instantly.

            Jess sighed, then started driving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Rory and Jess walked into the mall. Rory looked over at Jess and couldn't help smiling. He had a tortured look on his face and was slouching as he walked, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "What?" he asked, noticing Rory looking at him.

            "You know, it's not going to be that bad."

            Jess scowled. "Yes it is. You're going to dress me like one of those guys from the GQ magazine, and don't try to deny it, I heard you and Lorelai talking about it."

            Rory giggled. "Well, yeah, but come on, it'll be fun."

            "No it won't."

            "Yes it will. I'll make it fun."

            Jess' curiosity was instantly piqued. "How?" he asked.

            Rory shrugged, looking thoughtful. She caught the look on Jess' face, then blushed. "I don't know," she said.

            Jess smirked, until Rory stopped in front of a store. "Why are you stopping?" he asked suspiciously.

            "Because we're going in."

            Jess looked at the store in dismay. "No. We're going in _there? I am not going in there."_

            "Yes you are."

            "But - "

            "No buts. Come on!"

            Rory grabbed Jess' arm, pulling him in after her. There were no other customers in the store, so three salespeople ran over to help them at once. "Welcome!" they cried.

            "Can I help you with anything?"

            "What are you looking for?"

            "Um, well, we'll just look around on our own, thanks," Rory said.

            All three salespeople looked dejected. "Oh, all right," they said, with much less enthusiasm. "Let us know if you need anything."

            "We will, thanks," Rory said.

            Jess stared at their retreating backs. "I think I'm going to be sick," he said.

            Rory tightened her hold on his arm. "Come on."

            She dragged Jess over to some shirts. "What size are you?" she asked.

            He shrugged. "Dunno."

            "How can you not know what size you are?" Rory asked him, starting to get exasperated with his lack of cooperation.

            Jess, however, ignored her. Rory sighed, picking up the same shirt in different sizes. "You expect me to wear that?" he asked her.

            "Yes!" Rory told him. 

            Jess looked at the shirt in disgust. It was a dark blue collared shirt that buttoned up. "I have never worn a shirt that buttoned up the front," he told Rory.

            "Well, there's a first time for everything. Come on, let's find some pants. Oh, but wait, you probably don't know what size you are," Rory said, sarcasm creeping into her voice.

            Without waiting for a reply, Rory dragged him over to some pants, picking out a couple pair, then shoved the clothes into his arms. "Look, there's a dressing room. Try these on."

            "Fine," Jess said, scowling at her.

            Rory scowled right back, and Jess abruptly turned his back on her and went into the dressing room. Rory waited a minute, then called to him. "Come out, let me see."

            "No."

            Rory grinned, forgetting her earlier annoyance. "Come on," she wheedled.

            She was surprised when Jess actually opened the door and came out. He looked up at her glumly, but Rory's breath had caught in her throat. _Wow……he looks good……, was all Rory could think._

            He had left the top buttons undone on the dark blue shirt, and it looked extremely sexy. The outfit was dark in color, matching his dark looks, and Rory suddenly, instantly, remembered why she was so attracted to him…….physically…….in the first place.

            Jess, meanwhile, had finally looked up and caught the expression on Rory's face. He smirked, stepping closer to her. "So?" he asked in a low voice, his mouth close to hers.

            "Lose the white socks, and it's a keeper," Rory told him, starting to breath faster.

            Jess' mouth descended on hers and Rory responded, before remembering where they were. Her face flushed, she pushed Jess away. "See? I told you it'd be fun," she told him, catching a breath.

            "No. You said you'd make it fun. Looks like _I_ just made it fun," he told her, his smirk firmly in place.

            She shoved him back into the dressing room. "I'm going to get you some more shirts. What size is that one?"

            "Why?" he asked, instantly suspicious.

            "So you can try some more shirts on."

            "But I have one."

            "And?"

            "And nothing. I have one," he repeated.

            "You need more than one," Rory told him patiently.

            "No I don't," Jess said stubbornly.

            "Yes you do."

            "No I don't."

            "Yes you do."

            "No I - "

            "Yes you do," Rory cut him off.

            "Why?" he demanded.

            "Because you might have to go somewhere else where you have to dress up, and wouldn't you rather go shopping only once?"

            "Yeah, but - "

            "No buts."

            "What if - "

            "No."

            Rory pointed to the dressing room. "Go in there and take your shirt off," she said without thinking.

            Jess grinned. "Yes ma'am."

            Rory turned red, realizing what she had said. "You know I didn't - I mean, not that there's anything wrong - but we're - "

            Jess didn't say anything. He just stood there watching her squirm. "You're squirming," he told her.

            "I am not."

            "Yes you are. It's quite entertaining, actually."

            Rory spun on her heel. "I'm getting you more clothes to try on!" she called over her shoulder.

            "I'll be here……..shirtless………."

            Rory kept on walking, pretending to ignore him, but she couldn't stop the red blush heating her cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So Lucas, you ready?"

            "Ready for what?" Luke asked, eyeing Lorelai warily.

            "We get to play dress-up! Well, actually, _I_ get to dress _you_ up."

            "We've gone through this before, remember? You've picked out clothes for me, I have them upstairs, and tomorrow morning I'll just take some of them out of the closet," Luke said, going back to pouring over his account ledgers.

            "But which ones?" Lorelai asked him.

            "What?" he asked, looking up.

            "Which ones are you going to take out of the closet?"

            "Oh, well………well, you know, I was thinking about……..it's quite simple, actually, I'm going to - "

            "Ha! You don't know. Come on," Lorelai said, getting up and grabbing his arm.

            Luke dutifully followed her up the stairs, and she went to his bedroom. "Now," she said, flinging open the closet. "Let's see."

            She took out several pairs of pants and some shirts and threw them on the bed. All of the sudden, she stopped. "What?" Luke asked.

            "We don't know what Jess is wearing."

            "So?" Luke said, not seeing the problem.

            "Well, you guys don't want to clash!"

            "Excuse me?" Luke asked, thinking he hadn't heard her right.

            "You and Jess. You can't clash."

            "We can't _clash_? God, Lorelai, it's just brunch! Are we supposed to be wearing matching outfits?"

            "Don't get your thong in a bunch, Lucas! We'll just work around the problem."

            "Problem? There's not a problem! And I don't wear a thong!"

            Lorelai looked him up and down. "Yeah, you're right. You don't look like you would wear a thong."

            "What kind of guy wears a thong?"

            Lorelai grinned and winked. "My kind of guy."

            "Oh my God. I do not want to be hearing this."

            "You're the one who brought it up!" Lorelai said.

            "No, _you_ did."

            "No, _you_ did," Lorelai repeated.

            "No, you said it first."

            "It was just an expression! You're the one who keeps talking about guys wearing thongs."

            "No I don't! And that's not the expression, the expression is 'don't get your panties in a bunch'."

            "But I wear a thong," Lorelai said innocently.

            "Oh my God. I do not want to be having this conversation with you."

            "Making you uncomfortable?" Lorelai asked with a grin.

            "Yes! No. Should it be?"

            Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know. You're the one freaking out here."

            Luke sighed. "Is this over?"

            "Are you trying to get rid of me?" Lorelai asked, sounding shocked that he could ever want such a thing.

            "Yes."

            Lorelai put a hand over her heart. "Lukey! I - "

            "Don't call me that."

            "Come on, you know you like it."

            "No I don't."

            Lorelai clapped her hands. "I can call you that tomorrow!"

            "Oh no you don't."

            "Aw, come on, I need a pet nickname for you!"

            "No."

            "Can I call you Bubba?"

            "What?"

            "I've always wanted to date a guy named Bubba."

            "My name's not Bubba, and we're not dating."

            "Oh yes we are."

            "Oh no we're not."

            "Bubba, if you keep that up, you're going to ruin our act."

            "That reminds me. What's our story?" Luke asked.

            "Our what?"

            "Our story. How we got together?"

            "Oh."

            Lorelai frowned, thinking. "How about………you were in the hospital, and I realized I couldn't live without you, and when you got better you said you'd always loved me, and that you were really the father of my baby, which I didn't know because I was knocked out by too many vodkas, and so we got together and - "

            "Is that a soap opera storyline, or did you really think of that all on your own?" Luke interrupted sarcastically.

            "It's believable!"

            "No it's not. And besides, Christopher will be there, remember? I don't think he'll buy it."

            Lorelai frowned. "Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that. There goes our story."

            "Just say………..just say that we were friends for a long time, and then it turned into something more."

            Lorelai looked at Luke carefully, but his face wasn't betraying any emotion. "Um, yeah, that's a good idea………much more believable………" Lorelai's voice trailed off.

            She walked over to Luke, who was standing in front of the mirror, and for some unknown reason, she put her arms around his waist as she had earlier that day. Luke responded in the same way, and they looked at their reflection in the mirror. "The happy couple," Lorelai murmured, staring at their reflection.

            _We look good………we look like a real couple………Lorelai's thoughts were quickly interrupted._

            "Luke!" Jess called, coming up the stairs.

            His voice held a note of desperation, and he flung open the door. Lorelai and Luke jumped apart instantly, but Jess stopped and looked at them, smirking. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

            "No!" Luke and Lorelai said at the same time, avoiding each others' gazes.

            "Riiiiiiight. Rory's at your house," Jess told Lorelai.

            "Right. Um, okay. I should go there. Home, I mean. Because, Rory. You know, she's there," Lorelai rambled.

            "Yeah. Right. Rory. She's at your house. So you should, you know, go home. Rory's waiting for you," Luke said, making as little sense as Lorelai had.

            Jess' smirk widened. "'Bye," he said to Lorelai, who wasn't moving.

            "Right. 'Bye."

            She was at the top of the stairs when she remembered Luke's outfit. "Your outfit's on the bed!" she called to Luke, then quickly exited the diner.

            Jess turned to Luke. "What was that?" he asked Luke.

            "What was what?"

            "That. You and Lorelai."

            "Don't know what you're talking about," Luke said, putting his other clothes away.

            "Okay, have it your way. But in case you're too blind to see it……she's starting to look at you in that way."

            "What way?" Luke asked sharply.

            "The same way you look at her."

            With that, Jess left, forgetting to complain to Luke about all the new clothes Rory had made him buy. Apparently Luke had enough on his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Mom, they're here!" Rory called.

            Lorelai and Rory made their way to the door, Lorelai still looking distracted. "Mom, are you okay?" Rory asked.

            Lorelai had been looking dazed ever since she had come home that afternoon. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Lorelai said dismissively.

            They opened the door, letting in Christopher and Sherry. "Hey! Rory, are you ready?" Sherry asked brightly.

            "Yeah, I'm good to go," Rory replied.

            "Okay. Have fun, you three!" Lorelai said, in a fake cheery tone.

            Rory and Chris looked at her strangely. "Mom, what happened between you and Luke?" Rory asked in a low voice.

            Sherry didn't hear what Rory asked, but Christopher did. He frowned at Lorelai's reply. "Oh, nothing. We - nothing. Go, have fun!" she added in a loud, bright voice.

            "Okay, let's go!" Sherry said enthusiastically.

            No one noticed the frown on Christopher's face as he, Sherry, and Rory walked towards the car. Lorelai hadn't dated anyone since she had told Chris that she wasn't waiting for him anymore……..until now. And it was Luke.

            Luke, the man who was like a father to Rory - the father he should have been. The guy Lorelai and Rory called if they needed anything, the man who was always there for them. 

            Chris' frown deepened. He hadn't even believed, really, that Luke and Lorelai were dating. It had seemed like Lorelai was lying in the diner, and Lorelai lying to Emily about who she was dating was nothing new………..but the way she had been behaving back in the house. Something _had_ happened between Lorelai and Luke, he knew it. He could tell by Lorelai's vague response. 

            Sure, Chris was with Sherry now……….but that didn't mean he liked Luke moving in on his girls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Lorelai flopped down on the couch after Chris, Sherry, and Rory left. The house was quiet - too quiet. It was letting her think, which was bad. Because all of her thoughts seemed to lead to Luke.

            _We're so comfortable with each other. I mean, we were talking about thongs in his bedroom! Well, maybe Luke wasn't too comfortable with the topic, but still. It was nice and comfortable, it was how we always talk._

Lorelai laid down, feeling tired, then sighed. _Luke. I put my arms around him. But I was just seeing how we looked, as a couple! The mirror was right there, and I wanted to know if it looked believable._

Lorelai smiled slightly as she remembered Luke putting his arms around her, too. _Oh, it looked believable. It almost looked………real._

Lorelai rolled over onto her side. _But it's not real. It's fake. Luke and Lorelai………Lorelai and Luke………_

Lorelai drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Jess smirked as he made his way out of the diner early that evening. Luke still had that dazed look on his face. Jess wasn't sure exactly what he had interrupted between Luke and Lorelai, but it had obviously been more than 'nothing'. Luke didn't even notice that he had left.

            Jess got into his car, then decided to go to the bookstore he had taken Rory to on Valentine's Day. He liked the place, and decided that he should buy Rory a book. He could use it as a bribe - after he made a horrible impression on her grandparents and dad, like he knew he would, he was sure a bribe would come in handy. It would have to be a good book, though.

            A little while later, Jess parked his car and walked into the bookstore. He immediately headed towards the Classics section. He picked up a few books for himself, then reached towards Atlas Shrugged. _Rory would like this, he thought._

            However, someone else reached for the book at the same time he did. Both Jess and the other person pulled their hand away, and Jess turned around to see who it was.

            It was an older man, who was tall and………well……..portly was the only word Jess could think of to describe him. He had gray hair and was wearing glasses. The man and Jess looked at each other, sizing the other up. 

            "For you?" the man asked.

            "No," Jess said shortly.

            "I want it for my granddaughter. Who do you want it for?"

            "Girlfriend," Jess answered shortly.

            They looked at each other. "All right, take it," the man said.

            Jess gave him a small grin. "Thanks," he said sincerely.

            Twenty minutes later, the same thing happened. Jess was reaching for another book he thought Rory would like when the same old man reached for the same one. "Girlfriend?" the man asked.

            Jess nodded. "Granddaughter?" he responded.

            The man nodded. Jess gave the book to him. "Yours."

            "Thanks."

            _This old man's granddaughter obviously likes good books, Jess thought._

            Well, he had a couple of classics for Rory. He decided to go to the Biographies to find one for her. He walked down an aisle and saw a biography of Brad Pitt. _This is different from the classics, Jess thought. _At least I won't see that old guy here_._

No sooner had Jess thought that when he saw the old man again! "You!" he couldn't help saying.

            The man gave a small smile. "Yes, me. Girlfriend again?"

            "Yeah. Granddaughter again?"

            "I'm looking for both her and my daughter."

            They looked at each other. "Follow me," the man finally said.

            Wondering why he was even bothering, Jess followed the man to a table. "Maybe we can compare notes……..find the perfect thing for both my granddaughter and your girlfriend?"

            Jess shrugged. "All right."

            They both placed their stack on the table. "All right. I'll give you The Fountainhead for that biography of Brad Pitt," the old man said.

            Jess couldn't resist smirking. "For you?" he asked.

            "No. My daughter, actually."

            "What's the occasion?"

            "Her birthday. What about you?"

            "I'm meeting my girlfriend's family tomorrow, and after they all hate me, I can use a couple of good books as a bribe to get her to forgive me."

            The man laughed. "I'm sure they won't hate you."

            "Yeah, well," Jess said, getting uncomfortable with talking about Rory to this stranger.

Jess leaned forward and looked at the man's stack of books. "My girlfriend already has The Fountainhead," he said.

            "But you can never have enough copies of a book," the man argued.

            Jess gave him a small nod. "True. You can have the biography if I can have The Fountainhead _and_ Jane Eyre."

            The man looked at him skeptically. "Two for one?"

            "Are you comparing great literature to a man of Hollywood?" Jess asked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

            The man gave a defeated sigh. "You're right. All right, agreed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Two hours later, both Jess and the old man were almost done. They had been discussing books and trading them the entire time. "My granddaughter doesn't like Hemmingway, though I have no idea why," the man was telling Jess.

            "My girlfriend doesn't either. She says he puts her to sleep."

            "That's what my granddaughter says! I just don't understand it."

            "Me neither," Jess said, shaking his head.

            The man looked at his watch. "Well, I have to be going. Good luck tomorrow," he said.

            "Yeah, well. Uh………thanks. See you, uh………."

            "Richard," the man supplied.

            "Right. See you, Richard."

            "Goodbye. Nice meeting you, son."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note:_** **What did you think? I couldn't resist adding that last little scene - it just came to me, and I loved the idea! Well, review, review, review!**

**_Coming in Chapter 12………_****It's the brunch at Maggie's! Who comes face-to-face with someone they already, surprisingly, know, who actually comes EARLY, and who gets into a fight?**


	13. I Always Wanted To Date A Bubba

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            "Jess! Where the hell have you been?" Luke asked, walking over to Jess as he entered the diner that evening.

            "Out."

            "You could have told me. I had to handle the whole early dinner rush on my own!"

            Jess smirked. "You were distracted."

            "What?"

            "When I left. You were distracted."

            "No I wasn't," Luke said quickly.

"Yes you were," Jess said, his smirk widening. "I think it was something to do with Lorelai, but - "

"I heard my name!" Lorelai sang, coming over to Luke and Jess.

She looked from Luke to Jess. "What's going on?"

            "Nothing," Jess said unconvincingly.

            "Riiiiiiiight. Oooh, are you two bonding? You're sharing secrets? That's just so adorable!"

            Jess looked disgusted. "We were - "

                "Where's Rory?" Luke asked Lorelai, cutting Jess off.

            "Oh, I get it. I can only eat here if I have Rory here. You don't like me at all. Just her."

            Lorelai sniffed dramatically, holding up a hand. "No, I understand. I get it. I just - " she took a deep, shuddering breath. "I thought we were friends, Lucas, I really did. But it's okay. Really, it is."

            She looked up at Jess and Luke to see their reactions to her performance, but she was disappointed. Jess had left and gone behind the counter, and Luke was just looking at her, waiting for an answer to his question.

            "Oh, all right. You're no fun, you know that?" Lorelai told him grouchily. "Rory went out with Chris and Sherry, remember?"

            "Oh yeah."

            Lorelai went to sit down at the counter, and Luke followed, going behind the counter with Jess. Lorelai sighed, putting her chin in her hands. "Is it pathetic that I have no life without my daughter?" Lorelai asked Luke.

            "Yes," Jess answered.

            Lorelai glared at him, and Jess knew that if he wanted to get through meeting Rory's dad and grandparents alive, he couldn't have Lorelai against him. He quickly poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her. "Coffee?" he asked.

            "Oooh, coffee! Thanks, flannel junior!" Lorelai said, perking up and downing the cup.

            Jess rolled his eyes and went to take a customer's order. "I'm going to have to talk to him about giving you coffee," Luke said gruffly.

            "You want him to give me more?" Lorelai asked innocently.

            Luke looked horrified. "More? Are you kidding me?"

            "No."

            "Lorelai, coffee kills you. How can I make you understand that? It _kills you."_

            "Luke, not having coffee kills me. How can I make you understand that? It _kills me," Lorelai replied, mimicking him._

            Luke sighed. "What can I get you?"

            "A really greasy cheeseburger, and some even greasier fries. Oh, and more coffee."

            "Heart attack on a plate?"

            Lorelai smiled. "Mmmm, sounds good!"

            Luke walked away, shaking his head. Lorelai heard the bell as someone else walked into the diner, and she looked up. "Maggie!" she exclaimed.

            Maggie smiled, then walked over to Lorelai. "Hello, Lorelai. I assume your mother has told you about tomorrow?"

            "Yes, she has. We will definitely be there."

            "Good," Maggie said, looking pleased.

            They talked for a few minutes, and then Luke came out bringing Lorelai her coffee. "Oh, Maggie. Hi," Luke said.

            He glanced from Maggie to Lorelai, obviously wondering whether Lorelai had told Maggie what was going on - well, really, what _wasn't going on - between the two of them. "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot," Lorelai said._

            She turned to Maggie. "Maggie, I have something funny to tell you."

            Maggie raised an eyebrow, giving Lorelai an amused look. "Really."

            She glanced at Luke. "Do tell," she added.

            Lorelai pouted. "Hey! You already know!"

            "What? Did I miss something?" Luke asked, looking from Lorelai to Maggie.

            He shook his head. "Never mind. You always know everything," he said to Maggie.

            He walked back into the kitchen, shaking his head and muttering to himself. Lorelai's eyes followed him. "He's going crazy. I take all of the credit," Lorelai told Maggie.

            Maggie smiled. "Good for you, dear. How did this all come about?"

            Lorelai quickly ran through the story of how Emily had come to think that Lorelai and Luke were dating, then ended by telling Maggie what had happened earlier that day. "So Mom comes in here, and I had to run upstairs and tell Luke what was going on before she got to him, and of course Jess already knew because of that evil daughter of mine, and he told Luke, and Luke didn't want to go along with it, but I managed to convince him, and so we had just finished convincing Mom that we really were dating when two people came in."

            Maggie looked at Lorelai. "Who?"

            "Christopher. You remember Christopher?"

            Maggie's eyes widened. "Yes. And he's Rory's father, correct?"

            Lorelai nodded. "But he just had another daughter with his girlfriend - I mean fiancee - Sherry, and the two of them just happened to come by today, of all days."

            Maggie looked around. "Is that where Rory is now?"

            "Yeah. Sherry's in love with Rory, and Rory wanted to see Chris, so, yeah. But Chris and Sherry came in when Mom was still there, and so now Chris and Sherry think we're dating, too."

            "Oh, dear. Emily called me earlier to say that they were coming, but I didn't know how they managed to get invited."

            Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Sherry. Just wait until you meet her. But anyway, everyone except for you, Rory, and Jess think that Luke and I are dating."

            Lorelai paused, and Maggie looked at her. "And you want me to go along with it tomorrow," Maggie said.

            "Yes. Will you? Please? It's just for tomorrow, then Luke made me promise that I'd tell my mom that we broke up."

            Maggie hesitated, then agreed. "All right. But I'm not going to flat-out lie for you."

            "Good. No, you don't have to. Good. Thanks," Lorelai said, sounding relieved.

            Luke came out with Lorelai's dinner, placing it in front of her. "Maggie's going to go along with it," Lorelai told him.

            "Great. One more insane person to add to the list."

            Luke stalked off. "He's a little touchy about it," Lorelai told Maggie quietly.

            She raised her voice. "Don't worry, Bubba, you're on that list too!" Lorelai called after him.

            Maggie didn't even bother asking why Lorelai was calling Luke Bubba. However, Jess happened to be nearby, and he looked over at Lorelai. "Bubba?" he asked.

            "I always wanted to date someone named Bubba," Lorelai said dreamily.

            Jess rolled his eyes, then noticed Maggie sitting next to Lorelai. They looked at each other. "Hello," Maggie said.

            "Hey," Jess said casually.

            Jess glanced at Lorelai, who quickly looked down at her food and busied herself with eating. "Would you like to go for a walk?" Maggie asked Jess.

            "Uh, yeah. Okay," Jess said awkwardly.

            They got up and walked out of the diner, then started off down the street. "So……how are you?" Maggie asked, glancing at Jess out of the corner of her eye.

            "Okay. You?"

            "Okay," Maggie replied.

            They continued walking, neither of them saying anything. "So, tomorrow," Maggie said. "Can you tell Luke and Lorelai to be there around ten?"

            "Yeah. But I don't think Lorelai and Rory get up that early."

            Maggie grinned. "I know."

            Jess couldn't help grinning back. It _would_ be funny to see those two having to get up that early on a weekend. On the other hand, Lorelai's complaining could quite possibly drive him completely insane. 

"So, what'd you do today?" Maggie asked.

            Jess scowled. "I went shopping."

            "Shopping?" Maggie asked, obviously trying not to laugh.

            "It's your fault," Jess told her.

            "My fault?" Maggie asked, putting a hand on her chest and widening her eyes innocently. 

            "Yes. I had to buy clothes to wear tomorrow."

            "Well, dear, that certainly isn't _my_ fault. It's either _your_ fault, because you don't have nice clothes, or _Luke's_ fault for not getting you nice clothes earlier."

            "It's not my fault, or Luke's."

            "Why are you getting dressed up?" Maggie prompted him.

            "Because we're going to brunch with Rory's grandparents."

            Maggie gave him a triumphant look. "Then it's _their_ fault."

            Jess, trying very hard not to smile, shook his head. "I can't believe you're blaming other poor, innocent people," he told her, sarcasm evident in his tone.

            "I can't believe _you're_ blaming poor, innocent me," Maggie shot back.

            They had stopped walking as they had talked, but they now started walking again, and there was a silence between them. "So what do you think?" Maggie asked, finally deciding to break the silence.

            Jess immediately knew what she was talking about. She wanted to know what he thought of her, of the fact that she was his grandmother. "I think it's……..okay," Jess said uncertainly.

            "Okay."

            Maggie and Jess were standing in front of the diner. "I'll see you tomorrow," Maggie said.

            "Yeah……..and the happy new couple, Luke and Lorelai."

            Maggie smirked. "So I heard. I'm going to have to talk to you and Rory tomorrow."

            "Why?" Jess asked suspiciously.

            Maggie looked at him. "Because we have to have some fun with Luke and Lorelai," Maggie told him, as if she were stating the obvious.

            "_You want to……..you………." Jess didn't know what to say._

            He had never imagined himself as the type of guy who had a grandmother, and certainly not one as strange as Maggie. 

            "What, you think I'm some stuffy old lady who spends all her time and energy on poodles? You have a lot to learn. I'll see you tomorrow at ten."

            With that, she got into her car and drove away, leaving Jess to stare after her. _What a crazy old lady, he thought, then went inside._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Rory, wake up," Lorelai said the next morning, coming into Rory's room. 

            Rory opened her eyes blearily. "Mom?"

            She looked at her clock. "It's eight thirty in the morning! Leave me alone!" Rory said, pulling the covers over her head.

            "Can't do that. We're supposed to be at Maggie's by ten."

            "Since when?" Rory asked, her voice muffled from being under her covers.

            "Since Jess and I talked to her last night."

            Rory sat up. "You and Jess saw Maggie last night?"

            "Yeah, she stopped by the diner when I was having dinner. I talked to her, and so did Luke, kinda. She said she'd go along with our whole pretending-to-be-dating thing. And then Jess came over, and they took a walk. I don't know what they talked about. That's your job to find out, and report back to me."

            "Will do."

            "Now come on. Up, up, up."

            "Why are you so perky?" Rory said, getting up out of bed.

            "The elixir of life, daughter of mine. It has been bountiful this morning."

            "You must share the elixir of life!" Rory exclaimed.

            "I'll get you a cup. You get ready to go."

            "_You're not ready," Rory pointed out._

            "But I have the coffee."

            "Point taken."

            An hour later, Lorelai and Rory were almost ready to go. "Where are my shoes?" Rory yelled up to Lorelai.

            "Uh………here!"

            Lorelai threw them down the stairs, and Rory grabbed them, quickly putting them on. She looked at herself in the mirror. _I look okay_, she thought.

            She smiled to herself. What was the matter with her? It seemed like every time she saw Jess lately, she was worried about what she looked like. Which was ridiculous, really, because he had never even seemed to care.

            "What are you smiling about?" Lorelai asked Rory, coming down the stairs and interrupting Rory's thoughts.

            "Nothing."

            Lorelai grinned as she and Rory made their way to the Jeep. "You were thinking about Jess," she said.

            Rory gave a small smile. "Well, maybe."

            "Oooh, you're in love!" Lorelai said as they parked the Jeep and were about to go into Luke's.

            "Mom!"

            Rory looked around, hoping that no one had overheard……….especially Jess. Lorelai looked at Rory, frowning slightly. "You still haven't told him that you……" Lorelai also looked around. "You know."

            "No, I haven't told him."

            "Why not?"

            "Can we talk about this later?" Rory asked.

            Lorelai put an arm around Rory. "I just don't think you should try to bottle up your emotions."

            "I'm not, I just - "

            "I know, you don't want to pressure him in case he doesn't feel the same way. But…….." Lorelai paused.

            "What?"

            "I think he does," Lorelai said honestly.

            "You do?" 

            "Yeah."

            Rory looked thoughtful. "Okay."

            "Okay," Lorelai repeated.

            They walked into the diner, and Lorelai, instead of doing her usual and barging over to start annoying Luke, held back and watched Rory and Jess.

            The diner was empty, since Luke had closed it a while ago so that he and Jess could get ready to go. Lorelai and Rory were fifteen minutes late, so Luke and Jess had been sitting there, waiting for them.

            Lorelai stood by the door, and Luke was behind the counter. Lorelai watched as Rory walked over to Jess, who stood up as she approached. _Wow, he's actually………not dressed like a thug, Lorelai thought._

            Quickly getting over the shock, she continued to surreptitiously watch them. They had kissed and were now talking. Lorelai couldn't hear what they were saying because they were talking quietly, but Rory seemed to be teasing Jess about something - _Probably his clothes_, Lorelai thought fleetingly - but she saw that they were in love. She didn't know how Rory and Jess themselves didn't see it, but she did. Their body language said so much. Their bodies were turned toward each other; they faced each other as they talked. Both of their faces always lit up when they saw the other. A part of them was always touching, even if it was just a hand on an arm or one of them leaning against the other. Lorelai even saw Jess smile a real smile a few times.

            Suddenly Lorelai sensed someone behind her, and saw that Luke had gotten up and was now standing behind her. "Rory's good for him," Luke told Lorelai quietly, seeing that she was looking at Rory and Jess and knowing that she was thinking about them.

            "He's good for her, too. It's just taken me awhile to see it," Lorelai replied softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So you never told me," Lorelai said, twisting around in her seat. "What'd you and your dad and Sherry do last night?"

            Luke was driving to Maggie's home in Hartford, and Lorelai was sitting up front with him. Rory and Jess were sitting in the back, and Lorelai had turned around to face Rory to talk to her. 

            "We went out to dinner and saw a movie. You know, boring stuff. Sherry was…….well, Sherry. And Dad…….." Rory trailed off, frowning.

            "What?" Lorelai asked, concern knitting her brow.

            "I don't know," Rory said slowly. "Something was bothering him, though."

            Lorelai's expression cleared. "He has to live with Sherry. Enough said."

            Rory smiled. "That's probably it," she agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Luke pulled up to Maggie's house, and he, Rory, and Jess looked up in amazement. It was huge. Lorelai hadn't been exaggerating when she had told them it was a mansion. 

            "Wow," Rory said.

            "I know. I'd forgotten how impressive it looks," Lorelai said.

            They all got out of the car. "That's odd," Luke said.

            "What?" Lorelai asked.

            "I don't see any other cars," Luke answered her.

            Lorelai, Rory, and Jess looked around. Luke was right - it looked like they were the only ones there. "But we're twenty-five minutes late! How can we be the only ones here?" Rory asked.

            Luke, Lorelai, Rory, and Jess walked up to the front door and rang the bell. Maggie herself answered the door. "Good morning," she told them brightly.

            They all greeted Maggie, and she closed the door behind them as they came in and took their coats off. "Where is everybody?" Lorelai asked.

            "Oh, that."

            Maggie looked almost sheepish. "I wanted to get a chance to show you all - " here she looked at Jess " - around before everyone else got here. So I told you to come an hour early, because Lorelai, honestly, you're always late. And your parents are always early, but I figure we have at least twenty minutes before they show up."

            Lorelai shook her head, grinning at Maggie. "Just when I think you've turned into an honest woman………." 

            Lorelai trailed off, and she and Maggie exchanged a grin. "Well, you know me, Lorelai," Maggie said. "Some people never change."

            Rory shook her head and smiled at the two of them. "You lied to me," Jess said, almost sounding proud.

            "You tricked us!" Luke said indignantly.

            Maggie waved a hand. "Oh, boys, you'll get over it. Now come on, I want to show you around."

            Jess put his arm around Rory, and the two of them followed Maggie. Lorelai made to follow them, then looked back and saw Luke still standing there. She went over to him and linked her arm through his. "Come on, honey," she said.

            "Don't call me that," Luke said irritably.

            "But sugar, we're supposed to be a couple," Lorelai said as they started walking to catch up to Maggie, Rory, and Jess.

            Luke scowled. "I have never dated anyone that has called me ridiculous nicknames," Luke told her as they caught up to the others.

            "But he doesn't get out much," Jess said over his shoulder to Lorelai.

            Lorelai grinned as Luke's scowl deepened. "No one asked you," he snapped at Jess.

            "Oh, honeybunch, don't get so upset!" Lorelai told him.

            Luke pulled his arm away from her. "_Don't_ call me that!"

            "But sweetums - "

            "Aaah!" Luke cried in frustration.

            He stalked out of the room. "I think I upset him a little bit," Lorelai told Maggie, Rory, and Jess.

            Jess smirked. "Just a little," Rory agreed.

            "I wonder where he's going," Maggie mused.

            "Maybe he'll get lost!" Lorelai piped up enthusiastically. "And then twenty years later you'll find him dead in a bedroom upstairs or something, but he won't really be gone, because his ghost will be haunting the house. Ooooh, a haunted house! I love haunted houses."

            "Oh, remember that time when we went to Fright Fest?" Rory asked her mother.

            "Of course! That was creepy, but I'm telling you, that dead pirate was totally hitting on me."

            "He was not," Rory said.

            "Yes he was. Why was he following me everywhere?"

            "Because that's what they do, to scare you," Rory explained patiently.

            "But I liked it."

            "Yeah, but you're just plain scary anyway," Rory told her.

            Jess smirked at that, and Lorelai whirled on him. "Do you agree with her?" she asked him.

            "Yes," Jess replied.

            "I can't believe it! Everyone has turned on me! I need some coffee."

            All of the sudden Lorelai's eyes lit up. "Hey, I wonder if this will work."

            "What?" Rory asked.

            "This. I need coffee!" Lorelai said.

            Rory looked at her, confused. "Now concentrate on coffee really hard," Lorelai told her.

            "Okay, but why?"

            "Just do it, you'll see."

            Lorelai closed her eyes, presumably to picture coffee in her mind, and Rory followed suit. Jess and Maggie looked at each other, wondering what Lorelai was up to. All of the sudden, they were surprised by Luke re-entering the room. "What are they doing?" he asked Jess and Maggie.

            Lorelai's eyes flew open. "I knew it, I knew it!" she crowed.

            Rory opened her eyes. "What?"

            "Look! We thought of coffee, and it called Luke to us!"

            Rory turned around and saw Luke standing there. "We have magic powers!" Rory exclaimed.

            "Yes, we do! I have to admit, I was a little worried after the dance marathon."

            "You mean because we tried to use our psychic powers to move the diner closer to us and it didn't work?" Rory asked.

            "Yes, exactly, Mini-Me. But now - " she jerked her head in Luke's direction " - we have proof."

            "You are not psychic just because I happened to decide to come back in."

            Lorelai and Rory exchanged looks. "Um, yeah, we are," Lorelai told him in a no-duh tone of voice.

            "No you're not," Luke said, exasperated.

            "Yes we are!" Lorelai argued stubbornly.

            She turned to Jess and Maggie, who hadn't said anything throughout the whole ordeal. "We're psychic, aren't we?" Lorelai demanded.

            Jess and Maggie glanced at each other. "We're staying out of this," Maggie replied.

            "Fine. But we're psychic," Lorelai said, turning back to Luke.

            Just then the doorbell rang. "Then how come you didn't see that coming?" Luke asked her smugly.

            "I did, I was just too busy arguing with you to say anything," Lorelai said haughtily.

            "Right."

            "I was!" 

            "I believe you," Luke said in a tone that said otherwise.

            Jess and Rory hung back as Maggie went to answer the door, Luke and Lorelai bickering as they followed her. "Ready?" Rory asked him.

            "Oh, yeah. I just can't wait for all the fun to start," Jess said sarcastically.

            "It'll be okay," Rory said, sounding as if she were trying to convince herself as well as Jess.

            "Right," Jess said, seeing through her futile attempt at reassuring him.

            Rory stepped closer to him, and Jess put his hands on her hips, pulling them to bump his. Rory leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "It'll be okay," she repeated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Oh, Richard, please, stop it," Emily said as they walked up to Maggie's door.

            "What am I doing that's annoying you so much?" Richard demanded.

            "You keep talking about that boy you met in the bookstore yesterday. Honestly, you don't even _know_ the boy, but the way you're going on about him, you'd think he was a favorite nephew or something."

            "Well, Emily, I'm sorry if I'm annoying you. I'm simply telling you that I met a very nice young man last night at the bookstore. He was very well-read, and knew what he was talking about when it came to great literature. I just think that _that is the kind of boy Rory should be dating. Do you know, that young man was buying a book for his girlfriend? He was nervous about meeting her family, and wanted to buy his girlfriend a present. Why can't Rory date someone like that?"_

            "Richard, I don't like the sound of this Jess boy anymore than you do, but we have to be civil. You know what happens when we make our disapproval known - the girls just cut us out of that part of our lives, and that is not going to happen this time. I don't care if that boy is horrible, we will keep our opinions to ourselves."

            "Yes, Emily, I know."

            They both sighed, then rang the doorbell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Maggie answered the door, Luke and Lorelai behind her. She turned around and gave them a look before opening the door, and they stopped arguing. Maggie pulled open the door to find Emily and Richard standing on the doorstep. "Hello Emily, Richard. Please, come in," Maggie said, closing the door behind them.

            "It's wonderful to see you again, dear," Emily said as she and Richard took off their coats and a maid suddenly appeared to take the coats from them.

            Emily and Maggie hugged, and so did Maggie and Richard. "Maggie, I have to agree with my lovely wife. It is simply wonderful to see you again, and to be in your beautiful home again!"

            "Thank you, Richard. It's wonderful to see you again too," Maggie said graciously.

            Lorelai cleared her throat loudly. "Lorelai!" Emily said, sounding completely shocked. "What are you doing here?"

            "Hello to you too, Mom. I was invited, remember?"

            "Of course I remember, Lorelai. I'm the one that invited you. But your father and I are early, and you're always late."

            "That's my fault," Maggie intervened. "I told Lorelai to come at an earlier time than the rest of you, since she's always late. She and Rory came with Luke and Jess, and of course I wanted to see my grandson again."

            "Oh. Well then," Emily said, appeased.

            She turned to Luke. "Hello, Luke," she said.

            "Hello, Mrs. Gilmore," Luke replied.

            Maggie, Emily, Lorelai, and Luke all looked at Richard. "So you're Luke," Richard said.

            He didn't offer Luke his hand to shake. "Uh, yes," Luke said, glancing at Lorelai. "Yes I am."

            "And what do you do?"

            "He - " Lorelai began to explain.

            "I asked Luke, Lorelai," Richard said, cutting her off.

            "I own a diner."

            "I see."

            Lorelai and Emily exchanged a look. "You've been there, Dad, remember?" Lorelai said. "We had that great grapefruit there that one morning."

            "You mean _you_ had that grapefruit. But yes, I remember being in that…….diner, as you call it," Richard replied.

            Emily quickly jumped in. "Where's Rory?" she asked.

            Lorelai and Luke both looked around. They had been arguing before Emily and Richard arrived, and hadn't even noticed that Rory and Jess hadn't followed them in the foyer. "They must still be in the sitting room," Lorelai said with a shrug.

            "You left them alone?" Emily asked, looking scandalized.

            "I - " Lorelai began, but was cut off by the doorbell.

            "Oh God, that must be Christopher and that woman," Emily said.

            "Mom!" Lorelai exclaimed.

            The maid opened the door, and Chris and Sherry came in. "Oh, wow, we're the last ones here!" Sherry said as the maid took her and Christopher's coats.

            "I can't believe you beat us, Lor," Chris said.

            "Yeah, well, you know me. I just wanted to give everyone a good shock," Lorelai replied.

            Chris and Sherry greeted Emily and Richard and Chris introduced Sherry to Maggie before they turned to Luke. "Hello, Luke!" Sherry said.

            "Hi Miss, uh - "

            "Oh, don't be silly! You just have to call me Sherry, we're all friends here!" she said with a smile.

            Luke and Lorelai exchanged a glance, both trying not to laugh or say anything. "Right. Hi Sherry," Luke said.

            He turned to Chris. "Chris," he said, giving him a nod.

            "Luke," Chris returned coldly.

            Lorelai gave Chris a strange look, but he pretended not to notice. Sherry, however,  looked around. "Where's Rory?" she asked.

            "She and her boyfriend are in the other room," Emily told Sherry.

            "Oh, that's right. I can't wait to meet him!" Sherry said.

            "They're alone?" Chris asked.

            "What is it with you people! What do you really think is going to happen in five minutes?" Lorelai exclaimed.

            "Whoa, calm down there," Chris said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I just asked."

            "That's exactly what I asked before, Christopher," Emily said.

            "Instead of talking about it, why don't we join them," Maggie suggested.

            "Great idea," Lorelai said.

            She linked her arm through Luke's once again, and they all made their way to the sitting room. Rory and Jess were standing there talking about something, their backs to them. "Hey guys, look who's here," Lorelai said.

            Rory and Jess turned around as Richard cast another look at Luke. He didn't think that Luke was good enough for Lorelai. He owned _one little diner in that crazy town that Lorelai lived in. That certainly didn't make Luke good enough for any daughter of his._

            "Hi Grandpa," Rory said.

            "Hello, Rory," Richard replied, his face breaking out into a smile.

            He looked around for Rory's boyfriend, but he was talking to Maggie with his back towards Richard. Luke and Lorelai were talking with Chris and Sherry, until Rory went over and stood with Maggie and Jess. Chris and Sherry went over to meet him, and Richard gave up on trying to see his face, knowing that he'd meet him eventually anyway. Emily came over and stood next to him, and soon Luke and Lorelai joined them. Emily began a conversation with Luke and Lorelai and although Richard stood with them, he wasn't really paying attention. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Tell her," Jess said as Rory came over to him and Maggie.

            "Tell me what?" Rory asked.

            "We're going to have some fun with your mother and Luke," Maggie told her, her voice so quiet that Rory had to lean in to hear her.

            "What do you mean?"

            "Rory, don't you think that if this pretend dating thing goes on long enough, it'll be a push in the right direction?" Maggie asked.

            "What do you mean, the right direction?" Rory asked.

            "I mean, they'll realize that they want to start dating for real," Maggie replied.

            Rory glanced at Jess, who was smirking. She turned back to Maggie with a smile. "Okay, what are we going to do?"

            "Well, you two just try to get them to have to be with each other as much as possible today, acting like a couple. Leave the rest to me," Maggie said.

            "What are you going to do?" Jess asked.

            Before Maggie could reply, they heard Chris and Sherry behind them. "Are we interrupting a private conversation?" Chris asked.

            "Of course not!" Maggie replied with an easy smile, her voice its normal volume once again.

            Rory turned around and threw her arms around Chris. "Hi Dad!" she said.

            "Hey kiddo."

            They broke apart, and Sherry gave Rory a hug. Chris, however, looked at Jess. "So," Chris said. "You must be Jess."

            "Yeah."

            Chris looked at him closely. "You broke my daughter," he said.

            "Dad!" Rory exclaimed. "It was a long time ago. And it was an accident."

            "I know," Chris said, turning an amused smile onto Rory. "You told me the same thing over and over again last night.

            "I'm Sherry," Sherry said, sticking her hand out for Jess to shake.

            Jess reluctantly shook it. "Jess," he said shortly.

            All of the sudden he felt someone kick him, and he looked behind him to see Maggie standing there. "Be nice," she muttered.

            Luke and Lorelai came over, and Maggie left to talk with Emily and Richard. "So Jess, what do you like to do?" Sherry asked.

            Jess could feel Rory, Luke, and Lorelai holding their breath, afraid that he would say something that wouldn't be……….appropriate. "I like to read and listen to music," Jess finally replied.

            Then, deciding he may as well play the game, asked, "How about you?"

            "Oh, well…………."

            Sherry listed a dozen things that she liked doing, and Rory almost started laughing at the look on Jess' face. "We will mock later," Lorelai said, so quietly that only Jess heard her.

            He glanced at Lorelai and saw that she understood exactly what he was feeling. They exchanged a half-smile, and then Jess tuned back in to what Sherry was babbling about.

            "So even though I was really good at tennis and enjoyed playing it, I haven't gotten back into it, even though I certainly could now, since I'm not pregnant anymore, obviously!" she said with a little laugh.

            She stopped talking and no one said anything. "Well, uh, I think I should introduce Jess to Grandma and Grandpa," Rory spoke up, breaking the silence.

            She put a hand on his arm and they started walking across the room. "What'd my mom say to you?" Rory asked quietly as they walked.

            "That'd we'd make fun of Sherry later," Jess said, smirking.

            "She's gonna love you for that."

            "Who?"

            "My mom. I try to be nice to Sherry, but Mom will love having someone who will be just as cruel as she is."

            "I can't believe you're calling me cruel. I'm hurt, Rory, I really am."

            Rory giggled. "You'll get over it."

            Maggie had gone to check on how the brunch was coming along, so Emily and Richard were sitting by themselves when Rory and Jess came over. Richard's back was to them as Rory spoke. "Grandma, Grandpa………this is Jess," she said.

            Richard turned around, and looked at Jess at the same moment that Jess saw his face. They both froze. "It's nice to meet you, Jess," Emily said, forcing her tone to be civil and extending her hand.

            Jess, however, didn't notice. Emily and Rory looked at Richard and Jess as they continued to stare at each other. "Jess?" Rory asked.

            "Richard?" Emily asked.

            Chris had gone off with Sherry to show her the house, and Luke and Lorelai joined Rory, Jess, Emily, and Richard. They were also confused as to why Richard and Jess were just staring at each other. "What's going on, Jess?" Luke asked.

            "You!" Jess finally said.

            Both he and Richard seemed to snap out of their trance. "Yes, me…….." Richard said.

            Suddenly Richard started to laugh, which only confused Luke, Lorelai, Rory, and Emily all the more. "_We're_ the family?" Richard asked.

            Jess smiled despite himself. "Yeah. And excellent book choice, by the way. Now I _know your daughter will like it."_

            "Yes, and all that bartering for nothing. It's still Rory getting all the books!" Richard said jovially.

            "What? What books?" Rory asked.

            "It's nothing," Jess told her.

            "Richard, what is going on?" Emily asked.

            "I'd like to know that myself," Luke said, crossing his arms and looking at Jess.

            "Emily, this is the young man I was telling you about!" Richard told her happily.

            Emily looked at Jess. "You?" she asked.

            Jess shrugged. "Apparently."

            "What?" Lorelai asked, thoroughly confused.

            Just then Maggie came in, and she noticed that something odd was going on. "What is it?" she asked, coming over to them.

            "That's what I'd like to know!" Rory said, crossing her arms.

            Her stance looked eerily like Luke's, which Chris noticed right away as he and Sherry rejoined the group. "What's going on?" Chris asked, glancing at Luke darkly before putting his arm around Rory.

            However, Luke didn't notice, and neither did anybody else. They all had their attention fixated on Jess and Richard. "I met Richard yesterday," Jess told them.

            Everyone looked at him as if he were crazy. Had he just called Richard by his first name? Jess glanced at Richard. "I mean…….Mr. Gilmore."

            "No, it's all right. After all, I introduced myself to you as Richard."

            "You guys met yesterday?" Rory asked.

            "At _Los Libros de Amore_," Jess told her. "I went to get you a book, and we kept running into each other."

            "Now we know why," Richard said. "I was looking for a book for you, too. At the time, we just thought that his girlfriend and my granddaughter had similar tastes. We didn't know it was the same person."

            "Talk about freaky," Lorelai commented.

            "So you met Mr. Gilmore when you went out last night?" Luke asked Jess.

            "Yeah," Jess snapped.

            He was quickly tiring of being the center of attention. He didn't like it. He couldn't believe that Rory's grandfather was the old man he had met at the bookstore last night………he should have known. A biography of Brad Pitt? Who besides Lorelai would want a book like that?

            "You guys traded books?" Rory asked.

            "Yes," Richard replied. "You're going to have plenty of new ones now!"

            Rory smiled, but Lorelai remembered an earlier part of the conversation. "But you said _daughter_, not _granddaughter," Lorelai told Jess._

            "I was looking for both you and Rory," Richard quickly filled in.

            "So what'd you get me?" Lorelai asked, quickly distracted by the thought of presents.

            "It's for your birthday, Lorelai. I'm not telling you," Richard told her.

            Lorelai turned to Jess. "But you know."

            "I'm not telling you either," Jess told her stubbornly.

            Lorelai pouted. "Come on," she wheedled.

            "Oh, Lorelai, your birthday's coming soon enough. Stop whining," Emily told her.

            "It's more than a month away!" Lorelai said. "That's a long time! Will I like it?" she asked Jess.

            Jess glanced at Richard. "Yes," he finally replied.

            Lorelai looked pleased.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note:_**** Yeah, yeah, I know. No fight. See, I did something silly. I put up the last chapter _before_ I had this one written, which I usually never do because I want to make sure that what I'm promising you for the next chapter, you'll actually get. I won't be making that mistake again.**

**Review! You are getting sleepy………sleepy………you want to sleep………*you fall asleep* Now, when I count to three, you will wake up and have an overwhelming urge to give this story many long, detailed, glowing reviews.**

**One.**

**Two**

**Three.**

**_Coming in Chapter 13_****…………Okay, now, there really will be a fight. Really. During brunch. But I don't think that it's who you think it is. Of course, I don't know what you think. Do I? I think. Okay, just ignore me, but read the next chapter! Oh, and there's a Rory/Jess moment that any true Literati lives for!**


	14. Dodger and Princess Say I Love You

**Through Your Eyes #1: People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

********************************************************************************

            "You called him Duke for the first two years you knew him? Why?" Sherry asked, laughing.

            "Because it annoyed him. It was funny!" Lorelai said, as though stating the obvious.

            They had all sat down to brunch, and Lorelai, due mostly in part to Sherry's urgings, had been telling stories about Luke. Luke had been trying to get her to stop, but Lorelai was being encouraged by Rory, Jess, Maggie, Sherry, and even her mother, who seemed to have taken a liking to Luke. Richard didn't seem to think much of Luke, but he had been polite and smiled occasionally when someone looked his way expectantly. 

            Chris was the only other one who didn't like Luke. He didn't laugh, and found it getting harder and harder to control his temper with each Luke story that Lorelai told. "Tell us another, Lorelai!" Sherry pleaded.

            "No, don't," Luke said.

            "Oh, Bubba, you don't get any say in this," Lorelai told him.

            "Bubba?" Sherry asked.

            "I always wanted to date someone named Bubba, so I call Luke Bubba."

            "Oh, Lorelai, honestly," Emily said. "Only you would do something like that."

            Lorelai was enjoying being the center of attention, as she always did. And it was always fun to make Luke squirm. "That's right, Mom, only me. That's why Luke loves me!" she exclaimed loudly, giving Luke a kiss on the cheek.

            Rory, Jess, and Maggie exchanged a look, Maggie looking triumphant. She knew it, she _knew that Luke and Lorelai felt something for each other. Lorelai and Luke were both looking awkward and embarrassed; Chris was glowering; Richard was frowning; Emily had a small, all-knowing smile; and Sherry was positively beaming. _

            "Oh, that's so sweet!" Sherry said. "Come on, Lorelai, there's got to be another story."

            "Well," Lorelai said, trying to recover. "There is the time when Rory and Dean broke up for the first time…………."

            "Oh no," Luke said. "Lorelai, no."

            "Oh Mom, come on, don't embarrass Luke," Rory said.

            Jess looked at Luke curiously. "What happened the first time Rory and Dean broke up?" he asked.

            "Yes, what happened?" Maggie prompted Lorelai.

            "Well," Lorelai said, enjoying having everyone's attention fixated on her, "After Rory and Dean broke up, we went to Luke's for breakfast. All of the sudden, Luke's gone, and we find him out in the middle of the street with Dean in a headlock."

            "What?!" Jess exclaimed.

            He had never heard this story before. "_You_ fought Dean?" he asked Luke.

            "No, I didn't _fight_ him - I - "

            "You were fighting in the middle of the street?" Emily asked.

            "No, I - "

            "Yeah, and we had to go out there and break them up!" Lorelai piped in enthusiastically. 

            "You didn't have to break us up, Lorelai," Luke said. 

            "Then what happened?" Sherry asked.

            "Yeah, Luke, then what happened?" Jess repeated, smirking.

            "Well, uh - I, uh - see, I saw him outside, and went out to talk to him, and I told him I wasn't going to let him come into my diner, and - "

            "And it just snowballed from there!" Lorelai said gleefully.

            Luke scowled. "You didn't find it so funny at the time," he reminded her.

            "Why wouldn't you let him come in?" Maggie asked curiously.

            "He broke up with Rory! Why would I be nice to him?"

            "You were protecting Rory? That's so cute!" Sherry exclaimed.

            Rory and Luke both looked embarrassed, but Lorelai was grinning. "Aw, honey, it's just the papa bear in you!" Lorelai said.

            Maggie burst out laughing, and Rory was giggling. Luke looked like he was ready to kill Lorelai, and Jess' smirk widened. Suddenly, Chris got up from the table and stormed out of the dining room. Everyone looked confused. "What was that about?" Rory asked.

            "Maybe I should go talk to him," Sherry said uncertainly.

            "Yeah, go," Lorelai said. "He's had a stick up his ass the whole time he's been here."

            "Lorelai!" Emily admonished her.

            "What? He has!" Lorelai said defensively.

            Sherry got up to find Chris and left. Lorelai, Rory, and Emily started talking to each other about what was wrong with Chris. Richard and Jess had quietly started a book discussion.

Maggie and Luke, however, were both pretty sure they knew what was going on. Maggie had noticed Chris' increasing agitation during Lorelai's Luke stories, and Luke was also pretty sure he knew what the matter was. Luke had been in the position himself when Lorelai had been with Max, and he could tell that Chris was jealous because Chris thought that he and Lorelai were really a couple. He knew that, having been in that position before, he should be sympathetic towards Chris. But he wasn't.

            Everyone stopped talking as Sherry walked back into the room. "He won't tell me," she said. "He keeps saying everything's fine, but……..I don't know."

            She turned to Lorelai. "You talk to him."

            "What? No, I couldn't."

            "Please, Lorelai? Maybe he'll talk to you."

            "No, I can't. I mean, I - "

            "Lorelai, please?" Sherry begged her.

            Lorelai looked at Rory, who shrugged. "Well…….um, okay, I guess I could."

            Lorelai got up. "I'll be right back."

            She went and found Chris. "You wanna tell me what's been bugging you?" Lorelai asked.

            Chris glanced at her. "Nope."

            Lorelai sat down. "Oh, come on, Chris. You've had a stick up your ass the whole time. Who put it there?"

            "That's a great way to put it, Lorelai," Chris said.

            Lorelai didn't say anything until Chris looked at her. "Well?" she prompted him.

            "Fine. You want to know who put it there, Lorelai? You did."

            "Me?"

            Lorelai stood up. "What did I do?"

            "You got together with Luke without telling me!"

            Lorelai looked at him. "Well, next time I'll call you before I go out on a date," she said, confused.

            She gave a little laugh. "Come on, Chris, what's this all about?"

            "That is what it's all about, Lorelai. You and Luke. And then, in there……..you were just rubbing it in my face."

            "Rubbing the fact that Luke and I are together in your face?" Lorelai asked, her voice rising. "No, I wasn't! But I would certainly have the right to, after what you did to me with Sherry!"

            "Oh, what I did to you?" Chris yelled.

            "Yes!" Lorelai yelled back.

            "That's not even what I'm talking about! I'm talking about you making me look like a horrible father!" Chris shouted at her.

            "What?" Lorelai asked, once again thoroughly confused as to what he was talking about.

            "You! Talking about how Luke's always been there for Rory, telling stories about how _he's the one who protects her! __I'm her father, damn it!"_

            "I know that, Chris - those stories, they didn't mean - " Lorelai was trying to pacify him, but it didn't work.

            "Yeah, right!" he scoffed. 

            He adopted a high voice. "Luke made Rory a special coffee cake for her birthday……Luke always fixes everything so me and Rory are happy……..oh, Luke, you're just a 'papa bear'."

            He started yelling in his regular voice again. "How the hell did you think that was supposed to make me feel, Lorelai? You, telling everyone, and in front of Rory, how Luke's the one who's always there for her, not me?"

            "I didn't say that!" Lorelai said, tears in her eyes.

            "Yes, you did!" Chris roared.

            "No, I didn't, but you know what? I should have!" Lorelai screamed at him. "Because it's true! Why are you even here, Chris? Just go back and be with Sherry, and your new daughter! You know, the one you abandoned us for! Just go!"

            "I am!"

            "Fine!" Lorelai yelled.

            "Fine!" Chris yelled back, stalking out of the room.

            Lorelai sank down on the couch and started to cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The table in the dining room was silent. Everyone could hear Chris and Lorelai yelling at each other, but, try as they might, no one could make out what they were actually saying. Luke's and Rory's eyes met and they exchanged a worried look. Whenever Chris and Lorelai had a big fight, there was always a lot of emotional damage.

            Suddenly Chris stormed back in. "Sherry, we're going," he said brusquely.

            Maggie immediately stood up. "Come on, we'll get your coats," she said, leading them out of the dining room.

            Rory got up to follow them and say goodbye, leaving Emily, Richard, Luke, and Jess at the table. "Where's Lorelai?" Emily wondered out loud.

            Luke abruptly stood up. "I'll go find her."

            He left, and Emily, Richard, and Jess sat in complete silence. A few minutes later, Maggie and Rory came back in. "Maggie, did they say anything? What happened?" Emily asked.

            "I don't know. I got their coats, Sherry thanked me, and they left."

            Emily sniffed. "Well. That was extremely rude of Christopher. You'd think he would know better."

            "He was upset, Grandma," Rory said.

            She turned to Jess. "Where's Luke?"

            "He went to find your mom," Jess told her quietly.

            Rory nodded. "Good."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Luke found Lorelai sitting on the couch, her face in her hands. Luke went over and sat down next to her. "You okay?" he asked.

            Lorelai looked over at him, and Luke saw the tears in her eyes. "Did you guys hear everything?" she asked.

            "No. We could hear you were yelling, but we couldn't hear what you were saying."

            "Oh."

            There was a pause. "What was his problem?" Luke asked.

            Lorelai shrugged. "It's not important. Did he and Sherry leave?"

            "Yeah," Luke said.

            "Okay."

            They sat on the couch silently, side by side. Suddenly Lorelai started to cry again. "Lorelai - don't cry," Luke said desperately.

            He hated it when women cried, especially Lorelai. He put his arms around her awkwardly, and she put her face against his chest, one hand clenching the front of his shirt, as she cried. Eventually Luke felt more comfortable, and he stroked her hair. "It's okay," he kept saying over and over.

            Lorelai finally stopped crying, and she looked up. Luke noticed that she had stopped crying and immediately stopped holding her, but Lorelai liked the feeling of Luke's arms around her. She laid her head against his chest again, and Luke slowly put his arms back around her. 

Lorelai cuddled closer to him. Whenever she was upset or crying, Luke was always there for her. He always did anything to make her feel better, and it worked. Lorelai knew that she could break down and cry because Luke would always be there to bring her back up. She didn't know what she would do if he ever wasn't there.

            "Oh - " a voice started.

            Luke immediately let go of Lorelai, who sat up. "Mom!" she said.

            "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were in here," Emily said.

            "That's okay," Luke said.

            "We were just leaving," Lorelai said at the same time.

            They both got up, not looking at each other, and followed Emily out of the room. "Actually, Mom, I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back," Lorelai said, disappearing down the hallway.

            Emily and Luke continued to the dining room, Emily looking extremely pleased. Maggie, Rory, Jess, and Richard looked up as Emily and Luke entered the dining room. Jess could immediately tell that something had happened between Luke and Lorelai - Luke had that same dazed, embarrassed expression that he'd had when Jess had walked in on him and Lorelai yesterday. 

            "Where's Mom?" Rory asked.

            "She went to the bathroom," Emily replied.

            "Oh."

            Maggie looked extremely disappointed. She could tell by Emily's pleased expression that she had walked in on Luke and Lorelai doing - well - something. She just wasn't quite sure what. But if Emily hadn't walked in on whatever Luke and Lorelai were doing, Maggie was sure that whatever it was would have progressed further. Maggie decided right then that she would do everything she could to bring Luke and Lorelai together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Luke and Jess walked upstairs to the apartment later that day after Lorelai and Rory left. Luke was getting annoyed by Jess, who kept looking at him with an all-knowing expression. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "What?" he snapped.

            "Oh, nothing."

            "Go downstairs and get to work."

            "What will you be doing? Sitting up here and thinking about Lorelai?" 

            "Go!" Luke barked.

            Jess left, smirking, and leaving Luke to his own thoughts. _That little……but how did he know? How does he always know when something happens between me and Lorelai? Not that anything happened. Not really. I was just comforting her. But how does he always know what I'm thinking? I can never tell what he's thinking, or what he's going to do, but he seems to know me so well. I don't know what to make of that kid._

_            But he was right……here I am, sitting up here and thinking about Lorelai. I'd like to think something happened, I admit it………but nothing did. At least I don't think anything did._

_            I'm trying to think about this logically. She goes after Chris, they fight, she cries, I comfort. It's nothing more than what a friend would do. Because that's all Lorelai and I will ever be. Friends. She's my best friend, I don't want to lose that. I can't lose that. That's why I can't ask her out or anything - what if it didn't work? I wouldn't know what to do if our friendship was over. _

_            Besides, she's not over Chris. Why else would she be crying after they argued? Because she still cares for him. She's………in love with him. She loves him. He doesn't deserve it. What has he ever done besides leave her and Rory broken-hearted? I would not - could not - ever do that to them, I don't understand how he could._

_            I try to make whatever he does better. I try to be there for them, both of them - Lorelai and Rory. It's not the same, though. Of course they don't say that to me, but I'm not Chris. _

_            But it doesn't matter. Because Lorelai and I are just friends, and we'll never be more than that. I'm still just having a little trouble reconciling myself to that._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "So…..you want to talk about what happened?" Rory asked as she and Lorelai walked into the house.

            "What do you mean?"

            "You and Dad. I know you were arguing."

            "Oh, that. It's nothing," Lorelai said dismissively.

            "Nothing?" Rory asked, not believing her.

            "That's right. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Did you ever think that maybe it should be 'nilch', not zilch? I mean, nothing and nada both start with 'n'. So why zilch? I mean, it's some crazy made-up word. Why didn't the person say 'nilch' instead of zilch? Wouldn't that make more sense?"

            "So, if Dad called, would you talk to him or pretend you're not here?" Rory persisted.

            "Um……….the second one. But it's not…….it's not what you're thinking."

            "What am I thinking?" Rory asked.

            "That I don't want to talk to him because I'm so upset and still in love with him. We argued and both said some mean things, but it's not like it was before."

            Lorelai put her arm around Rory and they sat down. "Baby, listen. You know that I'll always love your father. He was my first love, and he's your father. But I'm not…….I'm not _in_ love with him anymore. I'm not putting my life on hold in the off chance that he'll come back and want to be with us."

            "You're not hung up on him anymore," Rory supplied.

            "Right. He's moved on, and so have I. I'm ready to find someone and give them all of my heart, not keep part of it tucked away for Christopher."

            Lorelai looked at Rory. "Do you understand what I mean?"

            "Yes," Rory said slowly. "I think I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Wow," Sookie said after Lorelai was finished.

            The next day, Lorelai had gone to work and found Sookie and told her everything that had happened with both Christopher and Luke during brunch at Maggie's. "Yeah. What am I supposed to do?" Lorelai asked.

            "What do you mean?"

            "About Luke! I told him that I'd tell my mom that we broke up."

            "Why don't you try dating for real?"

            "Me and Luke?"

            "Why not?"

            "Because……..Luke's my friend."

            "So? You both want to be more than friends."

            "Sookie - I don't know………."

            "Why? It's so romantic!"

            Lorelai gave a little laugh. "What is?"

            "You and Luke. Friends for years, with little moments here and there, until it finally grows into something more."

            "Has it really been like that?"

            "Yes, silly! Honestly, I think I know more about your relationship with Luke than you do!"

            "But Sookie, I don't think Luke feels the same way."

            "He puts his arms around you, didn't he?"

            "Well - yeah, but - that was just to comfort me, it wasn't anything romantic."

            "But what about afterwards? You said he put his arms around you again."

            "Yeah………but………"

            "But what? Lorelai, come on! You're never one not to take action!"

            "Sookie, what if we break up?" Lorelai burst out.

            "What?" Sookie asked, confused.

            "Me and Luke. What if we date, and we drive each other crazy, and we break up, and then we're not friends anymore?"

            "Honey, you already drive each other crazy. And you can't shy away from something just because something bad _might_ happen!"

            Lorelai smacked her hand to her forehead dejectedly. "Now I know where Rory gets it from! She stayed with Dean longer than she really wanted to because she was afraid of what might happen if she got together with Jess."

            "But she did it, and so can you!" Sookie said encouragingly.

            "But Luke is one of my best friends. I depend on him so much. What if something went wrong and we couldn't even be friends anymore?"

            "You can't think about the what if's all the time. Sometimes you just have to trust in your feelings."

            "But I don't _know_ what my feelings are!"

            "Yes you do, you just won't admit them to yourself!" Sookie said.

            "As fascinating as this conversation about that forgettable flannel man is, you do have work to do," Michel told Lorelai, coming into the kitchen.

            "How long were you behind that door?" Lorelai demanded.

            Michel smiled. "The whole time."

            He turned and left, and Lorelai turned to Sookie. "You know what I'm really looking forward to?" Lorelai asked her.

            "What?"

            "Starting our own inn and never seeing Michel again."

            Sookie sighed dreamily. "I know. I can't wait."

            She turned serious. "I don't think you should tell your mom that you and Luke broke up."

            "What? Why?" Lorelai asked.

            "Just……….trust me. Don't."

            "Well…….I'll think about it," Lorelai said, her tone doubtful.

            Sookie looked pleased. "Good."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Jess was uncharacteristically pacing on the bridge that afternoon. He was supposed to meet Rory here, and he had decided to tell her. He was going to tell her that he loved her. It was stupid to make himself so vulnerable to her, he knew it was. But after seeing how much Luke cared for Lorelai, and still didn't tell her, he knew that he had to take action. He was not going to sit back and keep quiet forever like his uncle did.

            _I don't know why I'm doing this………that's not true. I know why I'm doing this, it's because I don't want to be like Luke. And because I love Rory. But I've loved her for a long time, and never told her. Why should I break my silence now?_

Jess sat down on the bridge. _This is stupid. I'm not going to tell her. It's not that she'd laugh at me or something………Rory wouldn't do that……but when she doesn't say anything back, I'm going to feel ten times worse. I can't do this. I can't open up this much to her. I can't let myself become this vulnerable………can I?_

Jess let out a groan of frustration, then chucked a rock into the water. He watched the water ripple in all directions, then became lost in thought again. _No, I have to tell her. I can't just say nothing…………right? I should tell her. She deserves to know. After all the shit I've put her through, she definitely deserves to know. So, that's it. I'll tell her._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            After school that day Rory walked slowly to the bridge, where she was meeting Jess. She had decided to tell him. She was going to tell him that she loved him. She wasn't going to be like her mother and not admit her true feelings to the man she loved.

            _It's okay if he doesn't feel the same way. Mom seems to think he does, but since when does she know him very well? But I have to tell him, to clear my mind. He deserves to know. I don't just love him, like I did Dean. I'm in_ love with him.__

Rory stopped walking. _What if it makes Jess so uncomfortable that he starts avoiding me? He's not the type of person who's used to telling people that he loves them, or hearing other people say that they love him. Even if he feels the same way, he might not say anything just because it feels too awkward to him. _

Rory shook her head and continued walking. _Then he'll have to deal with it. I am telling him, no matter what his reaction might be. I'm telling him._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Jess stopped pacing as Rory walked up to him. "Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close against him.

            "Hey," she replied.

            They kissed, but neither of them put much into it. Their minds were both whirling a mile a minute. They sat on the bridge in silence, both trying to work up the courage to say what they wanted to say.

            "I have to tell you something," they said at the same time.

            Rory smiled sheepishly and Jess' eyes softened. "You go first," he said, eager to put off what he was going to say.

            "No, you go," Rory said, equally as eager to put off what she was planning on telling him.

            They were both silent for a moment, until both Rory and Jess decided to just bite the bullet and say it.

            "I love you," they said in unison, not paying attention to what the other person was saying.

            They continued talking at the same time. "It's okay if you don't feel the same way - " Rory began.

            "I just wanted to tell you - " Jess began at the same time.

            " - but I just wanted you to know," Rory continued.

            " - because you deserve to know," Jess continued at the same time.

            They both stopped talking and replayed the conversation back in their heads. Finally realizing what the other had said, they looked at each other. "What did you say?" Rory asked.

            "What did _you_ say?" Jess replied.

            "I asked you first."

            "I asked you last."

            "So?" Rory asked.

            "So you should tell me first."

            "What kind of logic is that?" Rory asked.

            "The logical kind," Jess replied.

            Neither of them said anything for a moment - and then, at the same time - "I love you."

            Rory smiled shyly and Jess, although everything in him was telling him to look away, looked into her eyes. Right now, he was truly vulnerable. He couldn't hide it from Rory. He couldn't hide anything from her anymore. 

            But Rory's smile widened. She saw the vulnerability in his eyes. He wasn't hiding anything from her anymore, and she had never felt more special. "I love you," she said again.

            "I……..love you too," Jess said.

            Rory giggled, laying her head on his shoulder "You're definitely not used to saying that."

            "You're the only person I've ever said that to," Jess said, his voice so quiet that Rory wasn't completely sure he had even said anything.

            Rory stopped giggling and sat up, looking sideways at Jess. She was secretly thrilled by his confession. For him to tell her, then, that he loved her……….that was as big as if she had given him her virginity. 

            Rory saw that Jess immediately regretted telling her that she was the only one he had ever said 'I love you' to. He was avoiding looking at her. Rory lifted her hand and started tracing circles around his mouth, then his chest. "Don't do that," she said.

            "What?" he asked, his voice sounding lower than usual.

            "Don't shut me out."

            Jess didn't say anything, but laid down on his back. Rory lay down next to him on her side, facing him, propped up on her elbow. She leaned over so that her upper body was on top of him and started kissing him. "I love you," she whispered, showering kisses on his face.

            She kissed his forehead, his cheeks, his nose, around his mouth, until Jess let out a small growl and put his hand on the back of her head, guiding her lips towards his. He needed to feel her, and he used his other arm to wrap around her body, pressing it tightly against his. All the while he eagerly devoured her mouth, and Rory responded just as eagerly. 

Jess pulled away from Rory's mouth and started in on her neck, causing Rory to let out a small, quiet moan. Jess grinned the victorious grin that all guys have when they can get their girl to make that sound, then continued his assault on her neck. All of the sudden he felt Rory stiffen. 

"Jess, stop," she whispered.

            Jess stopped kissing her, and Rory quickly got up. He stood up, then turned around to see one of the worst possible people he could think of to find them in this moment. Miss Patty.

            "Oh, dears, you don't need to stop on _my_ account," Miss Patty said with a wink.

            Rory's face was beet-red, and Jess couldn't believe that Miss Patty, of all people, had found them here. "We were just - uh - we were just - " Rory stammered.

            Miss Patty cut off Rory's stuttering. "Do I look like a prude to you? I know what you were doing, honey. I'm not blind."

            She looked at Rory. "Don't look so worried! I won't tell anyone!"

            With that, Miss Patty hurried off. "Oh my God," Rory said. "Oh my God!"

            "She won't tell anyone……yeah, right. That'd be the day," Jess said darkly.

            "The whole town is going to know, and you know Miss Patty's going to make it sound worse than it really is!"

            Jess knew what Rory was talking about, but he pretended that he didn't. "I didn't think it was that bad," he told her.

            "No, of course not. I mean, the kissing and, uh, stuff. That wasn't bad. But it might _look_ bad. I mean, not look bad, but Taylor will probably ban us from coming to the bridge or something, even though we didn't really do anything. I mean, we did - not really - it's not like we didn't do _anything_, but - "

            "You're rambling. I know what you mean."

            Rory gave him a small smile. "Right."

            They sat down on the bridge again, leaning against each other. "By the time we get back into town, everyone's going to know," Rory said.

            "Yeah. At least she didn't hear what we were talking about. That would have been even worse."

            "Huh," Rory said.

            "Uh-oh. You're stealing my 'huhs' again."

            "So you don't care if the whole town knows that you're making out with a girl, but you care if everyone knows that you told that girl that you loved her."

            "Yeah, that sounds about right," Jess said.

            "Huh."

            "What?" Jess asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

            "See? Those huhs are annoying."

            "Why do you think I use them?" Jess replied with a smirk.

            "Mmm-hmm," Rory said absentmindedly.

            Jess thought that maybe she had taken what he said the wrong way. "I don't……..you know……..regret what I said," Jess told her.

            Rory looked at him, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth. "I know," she said.

            She leaned forward and kissed him. "Say it again," Rory said, then kissed him again.

            "Say what?" Jess asked, stalling.

            Rory began talking in between kisses. "Say that - you - love me."

            She gave him a long, deep kiss, then pulled away and waited for him to say it. Jess lay down again, pulling Rory down on top of him. "I love you," Jess said.

            Rory beamed at him, then gave him another kiss. He pushed her away a little bit. "Hey, aren't you supposed to say something here?" he demanded.

            "My my, we've certainly gotten demanding, haven't we," Rory said.

            Jess smirked. "Yeah. It'll be better for you if you just go along with me."

            "Is that a threat?" Rory asked, running her hands over his chest.

            He grabbed her hands, stopping them. "Maybe."

            Rory grinned at him and rubbed her leg against his inner thigh. Instead of pulling her up against him and kissing her as she had expected, he pulled away from her. She rolled off of him, and he got up. Confused, Rory also stood. 

"We should probably go home. I'm already late for my shift," he said, not looking at her.

            "Is something the matter?" Rory asked him.

            "Nope."

            He started walking, and Rory hurried to follow him. "Jess, come on. Tell me. Did I do something wrong?"

            Jess stopped. "You didn't do anything wrong," he finally said.

            "I didn't?"

            "No."

            He gave a small laugh. "You did everything right."

            Rory was confused. "What?"

            "I had to stop," Jess said, looking into her eyes.

            Rory suddenly realized what he meant. "Oh," she said, turning red.

            "You shouldn't be embarrassed," Jess told her softly.

            Unable to resist, he stepped closer to her and kissed her. Rory wrapped her arms around his neck, and they ended up kissing for longer than Jess had meant to. They finally broke apart and Rory rested her forehead against Jess', her arms still around his neck. 

            "I want you," Jess told her.

            "I want you too," Rory said.

            She didn't realize what she had said until the words left her mouth. She looked up at Jess, but he didn't say anything. He slung his arm around her shoulders and they started walking to the diner, Jess looking around. "Let's hope no one heard what we just said, or I'll be dead tomorrow," Jess muttered to her.

            Rory giggled. "I love you," she said quietly.

            "Yeah?"

            "Yeah."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**_Author's Note: _****Come on, now. Rory and Jess said I Love You. That's gotta be worth some reviews! Plus, Luke and Lorelai had a total moment. Both couples had great moments! How could you not review? Review! Review!**

**_Coming in Chapter 14_****………Another fight! I _really_ don't think you've seen this one coming, though……I didn't see it coming until I wrote it twenty minutes ago……but things are changing between Lane and Jess. Things _do_ have to get worse before they get better, right?**


	15. Lane Has a Dirty Mind

**People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

****

**_Disclaimer: _****I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_**** Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p**

**_Setting: _****This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_****: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

**_Special Mention:_ So, I've finally started updating this story again………..I don't know how frequent updates will be, though. It depends on how much free time I get. **

**_Also, I no longer plan on making this a series. It will just be one very long story, hence the title change._**__

__

            Dean watched as Jess swaggered back into town, his arm around Rory as if he owned her. _The guy drives me nuts. I can't help it, and it's never going to change. I can't stand him. Whenever I see him, I just wanna pound his smirking, sarcastic little face into the ground………_

Dean sighed. Didn't Rory care what Jess was doing to her reputation? Miss Patty had told everyone in town what she had witnessed a half hour earlier. How could Rory be so blind? Didn't she see Jess' true intentions? He was just going to use her, then lose her. Dean couldn't stand to let that happen.

            Rory and Jess walked into the diner and were met by an amused Lorelai and an angry Luke. "Where the hell have you been?" Luke asked, his question directed at Jess.

            Jess smirked. "Out."

            "Upstairs! Now!"

            Jess gave him a look of disbelief. "Are you sending me to my room?"

            "Yes!"

            Jess laughed. "That's a good one. I'm guessing you saw Miss Patty."

            He looked at Rory. "She lied to us. I can't believe it. I really thought she wouldn't tell anyone," he said sarcastically.

            "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Luke asked, his voice growing louder.

            "I could go for a burger, feel like making me one?"

            Rory tried not to start laughing as Luke grabbed Jess' shirt, then dragged him upstairs. Lorelai and Rory could hear muffled shouting going on. Rory turned to Lorelai, who was looking at her. "So. What do you have to say for yourself?" Lorelai asked, using Luke's words and still looking amused.

            "Mom, nothing happened. I'm sure that whatever Miss Patty told everyone, she was exaggerating."

            "Well, of course she was. But she still had to have seen something to get the wheels turning in her brain."

            "Yeah, well……we were just, you know……"

            Lorelai looked at Rory closely. "Yeah, I thought I did know, but now I'm doubting myself. You say nothing happened, so I believe you, but…….you look………different."

            Rory looked away, trying not to smile. "Do I? Well, there's nothing I can do about that."

            Lorelai's eyes widened as Luke came down the stairs. "Did you tell him?"

            "Kinda," Rory said evasively.

            "What? What do you mean, 'kinda'? Come on, tell me what happened!" Lorelai said excitedly.

            "What are you two talking about?" Luke asked.

            "Nothing," Rory said quickly.

            Luke looked at her skeptically. "Right. Is this something I'll have to hurt Jess for?"

            "No, definitely not. In fact, you should go easy on him. Light punishment, extremely light. Or maybe no punishment at all. Yes, no punishment," Rory said.

            "Oh my God! He said it back to you!" Lorelai exclaimed.

            Rory smiles secretively. "Kinda," she said again.

            "I can't believe you're doing this to me. I gave you life, and you hold out on me," Lorelai said.

            "I'll tell you at home," Rory replied, not looking at Luke.

            "Oooh, okay. I get it. No boys can know!" Lorelai said, eyeing Luke, who rolled his eyes.

            Lorelai jumped out of her seat. "Come, Mini-Me, you must tell Mommy everything."

            Rory obediently followed her mother out of the diner, and Luke just stared after them. What was going on? What had they been talking about? Luke turned around and went back upstairs. "Jess!" he called as he walked up the stairs.

            There was no reply. Luke saw Jess sitting on his bed with his headphones, and went over and ripped them off. "What?" Jess asked, annoyed.

            "Lorelai and Rory just had a conversation downstairs, and I have no idea what they were talking about."

            "No one ever knows what those two are talking about."

            "But the thing is, I think they were talking about you."

            "Huh," Jess said, trying to remain casual.

            "Do you know what they could be talking about?"

            "Nope."

            "Maybe I can help jog your memory. Something that you said to Rory?"

            "You know, I really don't know what you're talking about, and I don't see why you're still here talking to me."

            "You know that I'll find out."

            "Whatever."

            Jess put his headphones back on, and Luke went back downstairs. He'd find out eventually. Jess couldn't hold out on him forever. Right?

            "So tell me everything," Lorelai said once she and Rory entered their house.

            "Okay," Rory said, talking as she took off her jacket. "I met Jess at the bridge, and he was kinda acting weird, but I didn't really notice until afterward because I was nervous about what I was going to say. We both didn't say anything, and then we said it at the same time."

            "At the same time?"

            "Yeah. And we both didn't even realize it and just kept talking about how it was okay if the other person didn't feel the same way, but then we stopped and realized what the other person had said."

            "And?" Lorelai prompted.

            "And, that's it."

            "Oh. I know what happened next."

            "Mom!"

            "What? The whole town knows."

            Rory buried her face in her hands. "I know. I can't believe Miss Patty saw us."

            "Yeah. Now she's always going to be stalking you to get more juicy tidbits to spread around," Lorelai said knowingly.

            "This is horrible!" Rory moaned.

            "Yeah," Lorelai said absentmindedly.

            She sat back on the couch. "So Jess said he loves you."

            Rory sat back too. "Yup."

            "This is big," Lorelai commented.

            "Extremely."

            "Monumental," Lorelai continued.

            "Gigantic."

            "Huge."

            "Gargantuan," Rory added.

            "I guess I shouldn't tease him about this," Lorelai said sadly. "At least not for awhile."

            "No, Mom, don't. Please don't. It would just make him more uncomfortable," Rory pleaded with her.

            "More uncomfortable? Why is he uncomfortable?"

            "Oh, um, you know, uh - "

            Lorelai cut off Rory's stuttering. "How many times do we have to go over this? You suck at lying."

            "Just don't say anything about it to him, okay?"

            "You're not going to tell me why?" Lorelai persisted.

            "It's kinda……..private."

            "I'm your mother! What don't I already know?"

            "Not private for me. Private for him," Rory clarified.

            "Oh."

            Lorelai sat up straighter. "Oh!"

            "What?" Rory asked suspiciously.

            "I know."

            "You don't _know_, you're just guessing," Rory told her, sounding irritated.

            "But it's a very educated guess."

            "Fine, you're hypothesizing, then. But you don't _know_."

            "Yes I do," Lorelai said triumphantly. "Jess is uncomfortable with it because you're the only person he's said it to."

            Rory didn't say anything. "Ha! I'm right!" Lorelai crowed.

            "Okay, fine, you did know," Rory conceded. "But don't say anything to him about it, okay?"

            "Wouldn't dream of it," Lorelai said, an evil gleam in her eyes.

            Rory gave her a doubtful look.

            The next day Rory went over to Lane's after school. "Hey Lane," she greeted her, standing in the doorway of Lane's room.

            To her surprise, Lane grabbed her arm, pulled her forward into her room, and then closed the door behind her. "What was that all about?" Rory asked.

            "Why didn't you tell me?" Lane whispered excitedly.

            "Tell you what?"

            "You and Jess!"

            Rory smiled. "Oh. It just happened yesterday. We were both nervous, but finally we just went for it, and - wait, how did you find out?" Rory asked, breaking off.

            "I can't believe you didn't tell me something this major!"

            "It only happened yesterday! I came straight from school to your house to tell you. But how did you know?"

            "Well, I didn't really _know_, but I managed to put two and two together. I mean, I heard about what Miss Patty saw on the bridge, and today in school Jess was acting way different - I swear I saw him smile once," Lane said, pacing.

            Rory smiled at hearing that. "Really?"

            "Yeah," Lane said dismissively. "But still! On the bridge? I mean - "

            "Wait a minute," Rory said, comprehension dawning on her. "What do you think happened between me and Jess?"

            "You slept together!"

            "Oh my God, Lane! No we didn't!"

            Lane stopped dead in her tracks. "You didn't?"

            "No! Oh my God!" Rory said, starting to pace back and forth herself. "I can't believe you thought I would do _that_ on the bridge!"

            "But Miss Patty - "

            "Miss Patty just saw us making out!"

            "Oh," Lane said, looking embarrassed.

            Suddenly she looked closely at Rory. "Then what were _you_ talking about?"

            "Jess and I said that we love each other," Rory replied, a small smile on her face once again.

            "Oh."

            Rory stopped pacing and looked at Lane. "What do you mean, 'oh'?" she asked suspiciously.

            "Nothing. Oh!" Lane tried again, trying to sound more enthusiastic.

            "That was not a nothing oh. That was a something oh. What was that oh for?"

            "Nothing," Lane said unconvincingly once again.

            Rory frowned. "Just say whatever it is you're thinking."

            "No, I - "

            "Lane! Tell me!"

            "Are you sure he meant it?" Lane asked in a rush.

            She babbled on. "I mean, it's Jess. Maybe he just said it because he, uh, didn't want to lose you, or - "

            "I thought you were going to give him a chance!"

            "I was - I mean I am - but Rory, come on. It's _Jess_. He doesn't care about anybody, not in that way. I think he said that to - " Lane stopped.

            Rory glared at her. "Go ahead, Lane," Rory snapped. "Finish what you were going to say. You think he just said that to get into my pants, right?"

            "No - not really - " Lane tried unconvincingly.

            "I can't believe it! This is one of the best things that's happened to me, and you're - you're - " Rory stopped.

            She grabbed her backpack and opened the door. "I can't talk to you right now."

            With that, Rory ran out of the Kim house, leaving Lane staring after her.

            After leaving Lane's, Rory stormed over to the diner, hoping to find Lorelai there. "Hey Rory," Luke greeted her. "Coffee?"

            "Is my mother here?" Rory asked.

            "Uh, no. Are you okay?" Luke asked, concerned.

            "Just dandy."

            Rory stalked out of the diner and stood right outside of it, then called her mother. "Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking," her mother answered.

            "Mom, it's me. When are you going to be home?"

            "Not for another hour or so, but - sweetie, are you okay? I can come home, or - "

            "No, it's fine. I just need to talk to you about something when you get home," Rory said.

            "I'll come to you, or you could come here. We can talk now."

            "No, I'll just wait until you get home. It's fine."

            "Are you sure? Where are you?" Lorelai asked, concerned.

            "I'm standing outside the diner right now. I'll just get a coffee and go home."

            "Is this about Jess? Are you okay?"

            "It's not Jess. Lane just said something…….." Rory trailed off, then recovered herself. "I'll just talk to you when you get home."

            "Okay, if you're sure. You sure?" Lorelai asked.

            "Yeah, I'm sure."

            "Okay. See you soon."

            "'Bye."

            Rory put her cell phone back in her pocket, then went back into the diner. "Here," Luke said, handing her a coffee.

            "Thanks," Rory said gratefully.

            She took a sip and felt it calming her down somewhat. The diner was empty, and Jess was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Jess?" Rory asked.

            "I sent him to Doose's to get some more lettuce and some other stuff, but he should be back soon."

            "Okay."

            Rory took a gulp of her coffee. "Are you okay?" Luke asked again.

            Rory sighed. "I just had a fight with Lane," she told him.

            "Oh. Okay," Luke said, looking relieved.

            He was glad it wasn't something having to do with Jess. Rory downed her coffee, then looked up at Luke, who had turned around to pour her another cup. "Hey Luke," Rory said suddenly.

            "Yeah?" he asked, his back still facing her.

            "If Jess said something like……..if he said he loved me or something, then - hypothetically - you'd believe him, right?"

            Luke had turned around to face Rory as soon as she had mentioned Jess' name, and was now looking at her with ill-disguised surprise. "Yeah, I'd believe him," Luke finally said.

            "I would, too," Rory said softly, more to herself than to Luke.

            Rory stood up and picked up her backpack. "Thanks for the coffee, Luke."

            "You're welcome."

            With that, Rory left, leaving Luke to stare after her. And when Jess returned to the diner ten minutes later, Luke stared at him, too. "What?" Jess finally asked, annoyed.

            "I told you I'd find out," Luke said simply, then went to take the order of a customer who'd just walked in.

            Jess stared after Luke.

            "Rory?" Lorelai called as soon as she entered the house later that afternoon.

            "In here!" Rory called from her room.

            Lorelai headed straight for Rory's room, throwing her purse down and taking off her coat as she went. "Okay, what happened?" she asked.

            "Lane and I got into a fight," Rory said.

            "Oh, I'm sorry," Lorelai said sympathetically. "About what?"

            Here Rory hesitated. "I went over to her house after school," Rory said.

            Lorelai nodded. "Okay……….?" She said, wanting Rory to continue.

            "I was going to tell her that Jess said he loves me."

            "Uh-huh."

            "But when I got there, she thought I was telling her something else."

            Lorelai looked at Rory. "Okay, what did she think you were telling her?" Lorelai asked.

            "She thought Jess and I……..um, you know, did it."

            Lorelai almost fell off Rory's bed. "What?" she asked, thinking she hadn't heard Rory correctly.

            "Even if we did - and we didn't - I wouldn't do it on the bridge!" Rory exclaimed.

            "That's good. Public places, that's a no-no for a daughter of mine. But what do you mean, 'even if you did'……..you haven't done it, right?" Lorelai asked.

            "No, we haven't done it. I would have told you."

            "But you're………thinking about it?" Lorelai asked cautiously.

            Rory hesitated. "Well…….I don't know……..me and Jess haven't talked about it."

            "But are _you_ thinking about it?" Lorelai pressed.

            "I don't know. Not really. Maybe a little," Rory said, not looking at her mother.

            "Okay."

            There was a silence, until Lorelai spoke again. "I want you to be able to talk to me about it," Lorelai said.

            "So if I were………thinking about it……..you wouldn't be mad?" Rory asked, sounding a little bit nervous.

            Lorelai put her arm around Rory. "No, I'm not mad. I just want to know. I want you to talk to me about it, I want you to be safe."

            "I will. I'll tell you."

            "Okay, good."

            There was another silence. "So what did you and Lane fight about?" Lorelai finally asked.

            "Oh. Right. When I told her that Jess and I said we loved each other, she started acting weird, and then she finally said that she didn't think he meant it."

            "Why did she think he said it?"

            Rory looked embarrassed. "She said that he said it because he wanted to…….he wanted us to………you know."

            "Oh. Oh!" Lorelai said. "Yes, I do know."

            She didn't say anything. "You don't think that's why he said it, do you?" Rory asked, a bit desperately.

            "No," Lorelai said simply.

            Rory smiled, relieved. "Good. Me neither."

Three days later, Lorelai and Rory were eating breakfast at the diner when Lorelai suddenly put her fork down and stood up. "All right, I've had enough. _Why_ has everyone in this town been staring at me and whispering about me for the past couple of days?" Lorelai asked.

            Rory, Jess, and Luke looked out in interest. They had been wondering the same thing. Rory and Jess knew why people were looking at and whispering about _them_; but why had people been whispering about Lorelai?

            "Not just you, but him, too," Babette said, jerking her head towards Luke.

            "Me? What's this got to do with me?" Luke asked, surprised.

            "Do you think I'm stupid? Is that what this is all about?" Kirk suddenly cried out.

            "Kirk, no one said you were stupid," Rory reassured him.

            "I eat here every day. I notice things that are going on. I hear things," Kirk ranted.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, until Kirk continued. "And I heard Lorelai tell her mother that she and Luke are dating."

            Luke let out a groan; Jess smirked; Rory hid a smile; and Lorelai glanced at Luke nervously before replying. "We're not dating," Lorelai said.

            "Then why did you tell your mother that you were?" Babbette asked.

            "Yeah, Lorelai, why'd you do that?" Jess asked, smirking.

            Lorelai glared at him before answering Babbette. "I just wanted her to leave my love life alone, so I told her Luke and I were dating."

            "Uh-huh. Sure," Kirk said.

            "Kirk, I'm not lying!" Lorelai exclaimed.

            "We can see that things have been different between you two," Miss Patty told Lorelai and Luke.

            Lorelai and Luke looked at each other before quickly looking away. "No they're not," Lorelai said, a little uncertainly.

            Miss Patty and Babbette exchanged small grins. "Sure," Babbette said.

            They then commenced to whispering frantically to one another, and Lorelai gave up, turning back to Rory, Jess, and Luke. "Now look what you've started," Luke said, annoyed.

            "I told them the truth! What more do you want from me?" Lorelai asked.

            Luke shook his head, then went to take someone's order. Lorelai looked out the window and choked on her pancake. "Lane's coming," she whispered to Rory.

            Rory looked up. "What?"

            Jess frowned. "You never told me what your fight with her was about," he said.

            "Oh, it was nothing," Rory said dismissively, slumping down in her seat.

            "Then why are you trying to hide under the table?" Jess asked.

            "Hey, Jess, look! Someone needs you to take their order," Lorelai said, pointing to a table behind Jess.

            He rolled his eyes, but left. Lane came over to Lorelai and Rory's table. She squatted down to where Rory was sitting on the floor. "Rory, can I talk to you?" she asked.

            Rory crawled out and stood up. "I have to get to school."

            "Rory, come on. You've been avoiding me for a couple of days now. Can we please talk?" Lane asked. "I only have ten minutes before my mom will notice I'm gone before the time I usually leave for school."

            Rory glanced at Lorelai, who nodded to her encouragingly, then followed Lane out of the diner. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jess looking at her as she left. Rory and Lane walked down the sidewalk, and then Rory stopped. "What do you want to talk to me about?" she asked shortly.

            "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean what I said."

            "Yes you did."

            "Well, okay, maybe I did mean it when I said it, but now that I look back and think about it, I didn't mean it," Lane said.

            Rory just looked at her. "You said you were going to give him a chance," she said.

            Lane looked guilty. "I know."

            "Remember when we were at Ziggy's? I thought you guys had an okay time."

            "We did," Lane said quickly.

            "Then what's the problem?" Rory asked, exasperated.

            "I just don't want to see you get hurt," Lane said.

            "But I'm not. I'm doing extremely well."

            "I see that."

            There was a silence. "Promise you'll give him a chance?" Rory asked.

            Lane looked away, then met Rory's eyes. "Promise."

            "Do you really promise?"

            "Yes, I really promise," Lane said.

            "Fight over?" Rory asked.

            Lane smiled. "Fight over."

            Rory smiled back, and the two girls hugged. Suddenly Lane looked at her watch. "Oh my gosh! I have to get back before Mama Kim notices that I'm gone!"

            Lane dashed off, and Rory went back into the diner. "All settled?" Lorelai asked as Rory sat down and Jess refilled their coffee.

            Rory nodded. "Yup. Fight over."

            Lorelai smiled. "Good."

            Jess didn't say anything.

            That day at school, Jess was getting ready to leave when Lane walked up to him at his locker. "Uh, hi," Lane said.

            Jess shut his locker, then looked at Lane. "Hey," he said shortly.

            "So, uh…….I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry, and I hope we can start over," Lane said, her words coming out in a rush.

            Jess just looked at her. "Sorry for what?" he finally asked blankly.

            Lane looked embarrassed. "Oh. I guess Rory didn't tell you."

            "Did this mysterious something that you're apologizing for have something to do with why you guys were fighting?" Jess asked, wanting to know what their fight had been about.

            "Um, yeah. Kinda. Well, yeah, it was. But you know, I think I'll go now. See you around," Lane said, dashing off.

            "Lane, wait," Jess called after her.

            She stopped, and he walked over to her. "What did you fight about?" he asked.

            "Um, nothing really," Lane said.

            He just looked at her, causing Lane to squirm uncomfortably. "I just said something not, um, very Christian about you, and Rory got mad, and we made up this morning, and I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry."

            "Huh," was Jess' only response.

            Lane hurried away, and this time Jess didn't stop her. He wondered what she had said about him to Rory.

            "Well, you've certainly been in a good mood today," Paris said to Rory as they walked to their lockers.

            Rory smiled. "My friend Lane and I aren't in a fight anymore."

            "Oh, goody. So everything's rose-colored in Roryland once again," Paris replied.

            Rory rolled her eyes. "Something like that."

            "Are you still dating that boyfriend you had?" Louise asked Rory.

            "Jess? Yeah. Why?"

            Madeline and Louise looked disappointed. "Oh. I need a date for Friday," Louise said.

            "I'm telling you, just date Bobby," Madeline said.

            "I already did, remember?"

            "Oh yeah."

            Paris rolled her eyes. "Maybe if you stuck with one guy, you wouldn't have these problems," Paris said.

            "Look who's giving out free dating advice now," Louise said.

            "She's entitled," Rory defended Paris.

            "Yeah, yeah. Because she has a serious boyfriend," Madeline said dismissively.

            "We have yet to see this mysterious boyfriend," Louise added.

            "Why would he want to waste his time meeting you two?" Paris snapped, then stalked off.

            "Somebody's touchy," Louise said to Madeline, and they giggled.

            Ignoring them, Rory continued to stuff her homework and books into her backpack. She was bent over, trying to get it all to fit, when Madeline and Louise stopped talking and someone handed her a book. "Don't want to forget this one," a voice said.

            Rory straightened, seeing Jess standing next to her. She gave him a kiss, then asked, "How do you keep getting in here?"

            Jess shrugged. "Security's lax, I guess."

            "Hi," Louise said.

            "Oh, sorry. Jess, this is Madeline and Louise. Madeline and Louise, this is - "

            "We've met," Louise said, interrupting Rory and smiling at Jess.

            "It's great to see you again," Madeline added.

            Jess glanced at Rory, who was looking at him, amused. She wasn't going to help him. "Yeah. Great," he said sarcastically.

            He put his arm around Rory and they walked out, Madeline and Louise calling out their goodbyes after him. "So," Rory said, sounding amused, as she got into his car. "Just how well do you know those two?"

            Jess smirked. "Not as well as I know you - " here Rory blushed " - but still pretty well, I'd say."

            Rory smacked his arm. "Very funny."

            "I thought so."

            He paused. "So," Jess said casually. "I talked to Lane today."

            "You what?"

            "Lane. I talked to her. At school."

            "You did? Why?" Rory asked, a little too quickly.

            Jess raised an eyebrow at her. "She came up to me. She said she wanted to apologize, but I think she was a little embarrassed when I told her I didn't know what she was talking about."

            "Oh," was all Rory said.

            "You're still not going to tell me?" Jess asked, sounding annoyed.

            "Tell you what?" Rory asked, playing dumb.

            "You know what I'm talking about. Why won't you tell me?"

            "Jess, it was just something stupid that Lane said about you," Rory said, trying to placate him.

            "What'd she say?"

            Rory didn't reply. "Why don't you want me to know?" Jess asked, not sounding mad, only curious.

            "Because it's stupid."

            "All right, fine."

            "Fine?" Rory asked.

            Jess nodded, and Rory looked out the window. It was fine. But it didn't feel fine. "If you really want to know, I'll tell you," Rory said.

            "Whatever," Jess said, looking straight ahead.

            "I told her that you said you love me," Rory blurted out.

            Jess still didn't look at her. "So?"

            "She thought you said it because……….well, she thought the reason you said it was because you - "

            "I get it," Jess cut her off.

            "You do?" Rory asked.

            "Yeah."

            "Oh," Rory said.

            There was a moment of silence. "Did you believe her?" Jess finally asked.

            "What? Oh. No."

            "Really?" Jess asked, hoping she was telling the truth.

            "Really. And neither did my mom. Or Luke."

            "You told Luke?"

            "Well, I was mad - and he was kinda there - I didn't tell him all the details, really."

            "So that's how he knew," Jess said, mostly to himself.

            "Are you mad he knows what……..you know……..we said?" Rory asked.

            "Nah."

            Rory smiled. "Good."

            They pulled into Rory's driveway. "I have to do some homework, but maybe you could stop by later," Rory suggested.

            "Okay," Jess said.

            Rory got out of the car, then leaned back in. "I love you," she said.

            "I love you too," Jess said, still feeling awkward.

            Rory smiled and disappeared inside her house.

            A few hours later Jess decided to go to Rory's. "Where are you going?" Luke called after him as he left the diner.

            "Out."

            Jess made his way to Rory's, but when he got there, he was surprised to hear what sounded like a band playing in her garage. Curious, Jess decided to see who it was. He slipped in without them noticing and recognized Lane and Dave, along with two other guys. Lane was playing the drums, which Jess didn't know she could do. He listened to them - they were actually pretty good. Suddenly Dave called for them to stop.

"Who's there?" Dave called.

            Jess stepped out of the shadows. "You guys are pretty good," he said.

            Dave smiled, coming forward. "Thanks. Guys, this is Jess. Jess, this is Bryan and Zach."

            They greeted Jess, who nodded to them. Lane also came forward. "Hey Jess," she said nervously.

            "Hey Lane," he said, sounding nonchalant.

            "So, what'd you think?" Dave asked. "We're just doing cover songs right now, but…………"

            Rory looked at her watch. She thought that Jess would be here by now. Sighing, she decided to go out and listen to Lane's band practice. Once she got there, she was surprised to see that no one was playing, and that Jess, Lane, Dave, Bryan, and Zach were all having a heated discussion about different bands.

Rory smiled. She liked seeing Jess getting along with Lane, and even with Dave. Maybe they could double date sometime. Before, she never would have thought that Jess was the kind of guy who would double date, but you never know. People change.

**_Author's Note: _****Review. Review, review, review. Please? And tell other people to read my story, and then tell them to review. Sound good? Does to me.**

**_Coming in Chapter 15………_****Oh, dear. There's trouble coming next chapter. Just remember what I say at the beginning of every chapter………no matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory and Jess will be together. So even if they, say, break up, they _will_ get back together.**


	16. Fred and Ethel

**People Change**

**_By: Apolla_**

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_ Literati and Java Junkie. **

**_Setting: _This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

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_Why the hell did I promise Rory that I would come to school? Why did I promise Luke I would graduate? I should really start breaking my promises,_ Jess thought, a scowl on his face.

He was at school, in history class, and the teacher had just assigned them a group project. Lane was in his class, but he didn't really want to work with her. Dean was in his class, and he _really_ didn't want to work with the bumbling giant.

"So we'll number off, and that will be your group," the teacher said, interrupting Jess' thoughts.

_Oh no. This is even worse!_ Jess thought.

He was a number three. He didn't pay attention to what anyone else was. "Okay, now, number threes, raise your hands," the teacher said.

Jess raised a finger almost imperceptibly, and casually looked around. His gaze stopped on Dean, who had raised his hand in the air. _No way in hell!_

How could they be the only two threes? Dean was looking around for his partner, and he saw Jess. Jess almost laughed at the look of disgust on Dean's face.

All of the sudden, Lane raised her hand. "I'm a three, too, Mrs. Lambert," she said.

Mrs. Lambert looked surprised. "You are? But there should only be two people in every group."

"Well, I don't know how it happened, then, but I'm a three."

The teacher shrugged. "Okay."

Both Dean and Jess glanced at Lane. They recognized that she had volunteered herself for Rory's sake, to keep Dean and Jess from killing each other, but neither felt any desire to make it any easier for her. This was going to be a long week.

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"Oh no! Oh, Lane, you're the best friend ever!" Rory exclaimed.

After school, Rory had gone over to Lane's, who had proceeded to tell her what had happened in history class that day. "Yes, I know," Lane replied. "This will definitely require you to get me some forbidden albums."

"Definitely. I'm on it. You just let me know."

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Lorelai went home after work late that afternoon and listened to the answering machine messages. "You have 2 new messages," the voice said.

"Two? Why, Beatrice, I do declare, you've had a busy day today!" Lorelai said to the answering machine.

She was taking off her coat, then froze when she heard the first message. "Lorelai? It's Chris. Look, I know you probably don't want to talk to me, but we have to talk. Right? We've always been able to talk. So call me back."

"Uh, I don't think so, Christopher," Lorelai said out loud.

"Lorelai, this is your mother. I want you to bring that nice Luke fellow to dinner this Friday. And tell Rory she can bring Jess, too. I'll tell the maid to set some extra places, so make sure you two bring them. Call me back and let me know. Goodbye."

The answering machine beeped, signaling the end of the recordings. "Gee, two calls I won't be returning," Lorelai said, talking out loud to herself again.

Lorelai looked around the silent house. Where was Rory? _Probably at the diner_, Lorelai thought. _I should go, meet her, have dinner………but being around Luke is weird. I told him that I would tell my mother we broke up, and I haven't. Now she wants him to come for dinner! What kind of excuse can I make up?_

_Or maybe I should just break up with him. Date him? Luke? Oh, what does Sookie know, anyway? If Luke wanted to date me, he would. He has no trouble telling me whatever is on his mind, whether it be thoughts on my eating habits or coffee addiction or housekeeping skills – or lack thereof._

Lorelai sighed. Unless Luke was more like her than she thought. _But maybe he doesn't want to ask me out because he's just as afraid as I am of losing our friendship. But how will either of us know for certain if we don't try? _

_Of course, I could just be crazy to listen to Sookie and _Jackson_, of all people. Maybe Luke doesn't even think of me in that way. Maybe I'm just completely hallucinating._

"Argh!" Lorelai said. "This is hurting my head!"

She decided to go to the diner after all. She needed some of Luke's coffee to help clear her head.

Lorelai was walking down the street, ignoring the stares and whispers from Babette and Miss Patty as she usually did, when she was intercepted by Dean. "Hi Lorelai," he said.

"Dean," Lorelai said, surprised. "Uh, hi. How are you doing?"

He shrugged. "Okay. Look, I really need to talk to you about Rory. And Jess."

Lorelai pulled Dean over to the side of the sidewalk, away from the street. "Look, Dean, I don't think that's such a good idea. You and Rory broke up awhile ago, and – I'm sorry, really, but she's happy with Jess."

"That's impossible. He's a jerk. He'll never love her like I do."

"Well, no, but everyone loves differently. Rory and Jess are doing good, Dean.

Lorelai could see the anger and frustration on his face, and she took pity on him. "Look, you're a great guy. You need to move on, too. Find someone who will love you for how amazing you are."

Dean bit back scathing comments about Jess and nodded. "Yeah. 'Bye, Lorelai."

"Goodbye, Dean," Lorelai said quietly as he walked away.

Lorelai sighed, stuck her hands in her pockets, and continued on to the diner.

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Unbeknownst to her, Jess had been standing inside the store that Lorelai and Dean had been standing in front of while they were talking. He couldn't believe that Lorelai had stood up for him to Dean. Lorelai had loved Dean and thought Dean was the perfect boyfriend to Rory.

All of the sudden, Jess had an idea. Sookie was throwing Lorelai a surprise party this Saturday night, and although Rory and Luke hadn't said anything about it to him, he knew that he was expected to come. Maybe he could actually get Lorelai a present. He knew just what it could be.

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Lorelai came into the diner and sat down at the counter. Luke was out serving the dinner crowd, but she didn't see Jess or Rory anywhere. "Luke, have you seen Rory?" Lorelai called.

"Nope, she hasn't been here at all this afternoon."

"Oh."

Where was she? Lorelai had been so sure she would be with Jess.

Just then Rory came into the diner. "Mom! Here you are, I've been looking all over for you."

"Hey, kid. Where've you been?"

"At Lane's, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot, I guess."

Rory sat down across from her mother and looked at her. "What's the matter?"

_Emily, Chris, Dean………_"Nothing," Lorelai said, ignoring the voice in her head.

Luke came over to take their order, and Lorelai decided to bite the bullet and ask. "So Luke, do you have any plans on Friday?"

Luke stopped writing and looked at her. "Yes. Why?"

Lorelai was taken aback. Since when did Luke have plans? Luke never had plans. Luke was Luke. He sat home on Friday nights.

Unless he had a date. Oh, God, Luke had a date. "Mom?" Rory said, breaking into her reverie.

Lorelai looked up to see both Luke and Rory staring at her. "Oh. No, it's good. My mother wanted us to invite you and Jess to Friday night dinner, but it's better if you actually have plans, then I won't have to lie."

"I thought you were telling her that we broke up."

"Yeah, I will………eventually."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Jess can't come either. We're having dinner with Maggie Friday night."

"Oh. Oh!" Lorelai said, for some reason feeling happy all of the sudden. "Okay. That's a very good excuse, I can't believe I didn't think of it."

Luke gave her a strange look, then walked away. "So," Lorelai said, looking at Rory with a smile. "How was your day?"

"Fine," Rory said, a smile lurking around her lips.

"What?" Lorelai asked her suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing."

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"Mom, get out of the car."

"But Rory, I don't wanna go!"

"Mom!"

"Fine. You're no fun," Lorelai grumbled, getting out of the Jeep.

They rang the bell and were just settling down for drinks when the phone rang. "Who could be calling now?" Emily asked. "Everyone knows it's dinner hour."

"It could be for work," Richard said. "I'll get it."

He left the room, and Emily turned to Lorelai and Rory. "So. You two are dateless for the evening?"

"Yes," Rory answered.

"Yes, Mom, as I'm sure you know, Luke and Jess are having dinner with Aunt Maggie tonight."

"Yes, I know," Emily said, sounding disappointed. "I wish we could all get together again. That was so nice last time. Well, except for Christopher storming out. Why was he so angry, anyway?"

Lorelai avoided her mother's gaze and took a drink of her scotch. "Yeah, Mom, you never told me, either," Rory added.

"It was nothing. It was just Chris being………Chris. It was nothing."

Just then Richard came back into the room, carrying the phone. "It's Christopher. He wants to talk to you, Lorelai."

"Well, I don't want to talk to him, Dad."

"Oh, Lorelai, really – " Richard began.

"No, Richard, let me talk to him," Emily interrupted.

"Oh, no, Mom, don't," Lorelai protested.

But Emily took the phone. "Hello, Christopher? Yes, this is Emily. It was really quite rude of you to storm out of brunch the way you did. Yes, I'm sure you're sorry. Well, no, Lorelai won't tell me or Rory why you were so angry. What happened?"

Emily didn't say anything for a minute and appeared to be listening to Christopher's explanation. Her gaze slid over to Lorelai, and Lorelai could see it in her mother's eyes. Christopher was actually telling Emily why he was so angry about Luke. Rory and Richard exchanged glances and shrugged.

"I see," Emily finally said.

She paused. "No, Lorelai can't talk now. Goodbye, Christopher."

And with that, she hung up. Emily's eyes met Lorelai's, and Lorelai gave her a small smile. "Well. Who's ready for dinner?" Emily asked.

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"So what time is Lorelai's party?" Maggie asked Luke that night at dinner.

"Five-thirty. It's at Lorelai's and Rory's place. Rory's going to get Lorelai away from the house for the afternoon, and Sookie, Miss Patty, and Babette will get everything ready. Rory's going to bring Lorelai back at five forty-five, and everyone will jump out, yadda, yadda, yadda."

"Who's coming?" Maggie asked.

"Anyone from town who wants to. Jess and I are going. And Lorelai's parents were invited."

"I'll be there," Maggie said with a smile.

She turned to Jess. "Have you made any decisions yet?" she asked him.

Jess looked up from his food. "About what?"

"About what you're going to do……after high school," Maggie said, carefully avoiding using the word 'college'.

Jess shrugged. "I looked at some of those brochures, but I don't know."

Luke looked surprised and pleased. He remained silent, hoping Jess would elaborate. "Did you see anything that interested you?" Maggie asked.

Jess shrugged again, avoiding eye contact. "There was one nearby that sounded all right. It's in Hartford."

"The Hartford Writers' College," Maggie said, unable to hide the shine in her eyes.

"You know it?" Luke asked.

"Know it?" Maggie said with a laugh. "I went there!"

Jess and Luke both stared at her. "_You_ went to a writers' college?" Luke asked.

"Yes."

"But you – I would have thought that you went to Yale or Harvard or somewhere like that," Luke said.

"I was supposed to, but I didn't do well enough in school. My parents probably could have bought my way in, but I didn't want that. Your grandfather," Maggie said, looking at Jess, "was a Yale man. We met in Hartford."

She gave a small smile. "I always blamed myself for the way Jimmy turned out. He always caused trouble in school, too, and dropped out of Yale – which I would have done if my parents had sent me there. We made him go, you know. And that's when everything fell apart."

Luke and Jess were silent. Neither knew what to say. Finally Luke spoke. "You can't blame yourself for how your kids turn out," he said. "They do what they want. Especially if their last name is Mariano, apparently."

Maggie gave Luke a small smile. "Thanks."

Luke looked embarrassed. "No problem."

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"Rory wake up! Rory wake up! Rory wake up!" Lorelai sang, bouncing up and down on Rory's bed.

"Go away."

"But it's my birthday!"

Rory groaned. "Fine. I'll get up."

Lorelai left, and Rory got dressed and came to the kitchen. "Where's the coffee?" Rory asked, looking around.

"Fred's acting up _again_," Lorelai said.

"We need to get a new coffeemaker," Rory said.

Lorelai sighed. "I know. We will. Soon."

"So what do you want to do today?" Rory asked her mother.

"Oh, I don't know, take over the world?"

"You'll have to fight Paris for that one. Oooh, I know, let's go shopping!"

"Okay. But let's make it kinda early, I want to – "

"No, let's go in the afternoon. Come on, we'll have lunch at Luke's, then go."

Lorelai looked at Rory strangely. "Okay. Sounds good."

"Great! Come on, get dressed, then we'll go to Luke's."

A little while later, Rory and Lorelai went and sat down at Luke's for lunch. "Happy Birthday," Luke said to Lorelai, coming over.

"Thanks, Lukey. Where's my present?"

"Your what?"

"My present."

"Since when do I have to get you a present?"

"Uh, since we're dating?" Lorelai said as if stating the obvious.

"We're not dating."

"Everyone else would say otherwise."

"We're not dating."

"You're just saying that because you don't want to buy me a present."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

Luke sighed. "I'll give you your present later."

Lorelai clapped her hands. "Ooh, dirty!"

"Mom! I am trying to drink coffee here," Rory said. "I don't want those images in my head."

Luke shook his head. "I can't believe how you've corrupted your daughter."

"It wasn't me," Lorelai said innocently. "It was……"

Just then Jess came down the stairs. "Him!" she said triumphantly, pointing at Jess.

"How could I have done anything? I just got here," Jess said, coming over to them.

He sat down next to Rory and put his arm around her. "Hey," he said.

"Hey," she said back, giving him a kiss.

"See?" Lorelai said to Luke. "I told you he corrupted her."

Jess smirked. "I didn't think Rory was telling people about that."

"Jess!" Rory said, blushing.

"Dirty!" Lorelai squealed.

"Jess!" Luke said warningly.

Jess got up. "I see my work here is done."

He went to take someone's order, leaving Luke and Rory to avoid each other's eyes, both feeling uncomfortable. "I told you it wasn't me," Lorelai said.

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That night, everyone from town – and Richard, Emily, and Maggie – were gathered in Rory and Lorelai's home. It was almost time for Rory and Lorelai to come home, and Sookie shut off all the lights. "Everybody hide!" she said in a stage whisper.

Richard, Emily, and Maggie looked at one another, then went to another room. They would not hide behind pieces of furniture, just stay out of sight of the door.

A minute or two later, the door was opened. Rory came in first, followed by Lorelai. "SURPRISE!" everyone yelled, jumping out and turning on the lights.

"Oh my God!" Lorelai said, a huge smile on her face.

"Happy birthday, sweetie!" Sookie said, coming over and giving her a hug.

Lorelai hugged her back. "Sookie, I know you did this! Thank you!"

Lorelai hugged and greeted everyone, and Richard, Emily, and Maggie came out of the kitchen. They hugged Lorelai as well, then went to get some drinks. "Happy birthday," Luke said, handing Lorelai a present.

"Aw, thanks, Bubba."

"I'll ignore that because it's your birthday. I told you you'd get your present later."

Lorelai smiled. "So you did. Thank you."

They hugged, a bit awkwardly, then stepped apart. "So, let's see what food Sookie's made for us," Lorelai said quickly.

"I'm right behind you."

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Rory and Jess stood off to the side, watching the festivities. "It actually worked," Rory said to Jess.

"Your lying skills must be improving."

"Hey, I did not lie. I just didn't tell the whole truth."

"That's the same thing. You're a liar now."

"I am not!"

"I think you are."

"No I'm not!" Rory said, hitting Jess playfully.

Jess looked down at his arm where Rory had hit him, then looked back at her. "I'm going to get you for that."

"No!" Rory shrieked, running through people until she got outside.

Jess chased after her, knocked her over, and the two of them tumbled to the ground in the darkness. "Okay! Maybe I lied a teeny bit," Rory said breathlessly.

"Mmm, my kind of girl."

Jess leaned over Rory and started kissing her. She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down on top of her.

All of the sudden, someone loudly cleared his throat. Rory stopped kissing Jess, who sat up. Rory got up and could make out Dean's face in the darkness. "Dean."

Jess stood up, putting his arm around Rory. "Did you come for the party?" Jess asked, smirking. "Because that's inside."

"Rory, I want to talk to you," Dean said, ignoring Jess.

"Dean, I don't think – "

"She doesn't want to talk to you," Jess said, speaking over Rory. "Beat it."

"Make me."

"Fine, I will."

"No, you won't," Rory said, stepping away from Jess and standing between him and Dean. "You two are _not_ going to fight at my mother's birthday party. Dean, just go."

With that, Rory grabbed Jess' arm and dragged him inside after her. They stood alone in the kitchen, and Rory watched Dean out of the window. He stood where they had left him for a moment, then walked away. Rory sighed and leaned against the kitchen door.

Jess was silent, and Rory finally looked over at him. "Say whatever it is you want to say," she said irritably.

He still didn't speak. "Fine, don't say anything. I don't care," Rory snapped.

She started to walk out of the kitchen when Jess spoke. "The guy's obsessed with you."

She stopped. "No, I don't think he is," Rory said. "He just thinks that I'll go back to him any day now."

"Right."

"Which I won't," she added quickly.

She went over to Jess and put her arms around him. "I love you," she said.

He smirked. "I know."

Just then Lane came in. "Hey, Rory, Lorelai's looking for you. She's opening her presents."

"Okay."

Rory took Jess' hand, and they followed Lane into the living room just in time to see Lorelai rip open a biography of Brad Pitt. "Rory! Look! It's your future stepfather!" Lorelai crowed, holding up the book.

"Hello, Daddy!" Rory said to the book.

Emily and Luke rolled their eyes. "Thanks, Dad," Lorelai said to her father.

She had been more than a little surprised to discover that the book was a gift from her father. Lorelai had no idea her father knew her so well!

Lorelai grabbed Luke's present next. She opened it to discover a small box, and inside that box was a silver necklace with a silver coffee cup hanging from it. Lorelai smiled, her eyes shining. "Thanks, Luke," she said softly and sincerely.

"You're welcome," he said, embarrassed, but unable to keep from smiling at her.

Maggie and Rory exchanged a look and smiled. Yes, Luke and Lorelai were getting closer to what they wanted every day.

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"Where have you been?" Rory asked Jess as he came back into the living room.

"Got a drink," Jess said, holding up his can.

Rory, Lorelai, Luke, Sookie, and Jackson were all cleaning up. Everyone else had left by now. "Oh, good idea," Lorelai said.

She went into the kitchen, then came back carrying a bag that said 'Happy Birthday' on it. "Mom, is that another present?" Rory asked.

"I think so."

"From who?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know, it doesn't say."

"Well, open it!" Rory said, coming over to her mother.

Lorelai opened it and pulled out a new coffeepot. "Oh, look!" she said, already opening the box. "It's exactly like our old one!"

"Wow, how did someone know we needed a new one?" Rory wondered.

Lorelai pulled the coffeemaker out of its box and gave a surprised laugh. "Rory, is this from you?"

"No, why?"

Lorelai handed the coffeepot to her daughter. On it was a sticker that read 'Hello, My Name Is' and someone had written in 'Ethel'.

Rory looked up at her mother, who shrugged. She looked back at the nametag. "Wait a minute," she said. "I recognize this handwriting."

Jess had gone over to help Luke pick up empty beer cans, and Jackson had disappeared to take the garbage outside. "Who's is it?" Sookie asked, coming over to Rory and Lorelai.

"This is Jess' handwriting," Rory told her mother quietly.

"Of course! He knew all about Fred," Lorelai said.

"Fred?" Sookie asked.

"Our old coffeemaker. It kept breaking, and we kept complaining about it at the diner. We named it Fred, after Fred in _I Love Lucy_. And now we have Ethel."

Lorelai went over to Jess and stood there, not saying anything. Luke and Jess both stopped what they were doing and looked up. Lorelai hugged Jess before he realized what was happening, then stepped back. "Thanks."

Jess took a step away from her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Lorelai gave him a smile. "All right, flannel junior, we'll play it your way."

With that, she walked away, leaving Luke staring at Jess. "What was that all about?"

Jess shrugged. "I think she's finally lost it."

But he caught Rory's eye across the room and gave her a smile.

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"Luke, can I have some cake?" Lorelai asked.

"Lorelai, I let you have cake once. Last week. You know, when it was your birthday?"

"So, what, are you saying my birthday is over?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying."

"You can't decide that."

"I didn't. The calendar decided that."

"Oh, sure, blame the calendar. What did it ever do to you, huh?"

"I'm not giving you cake."

"Fine. I'll just have a coffee and a doughnut to go."

"But it's Saturday."

"So?"

"So you never get coffee to go on Saturday."

"I know. Michel claims he's ill, so I have to go into work today."

"He claims he's ill?"

"Oh, everyone knows he's not really ill! He just doesn't want to deal with the teacher's convention coming in today. Stupid French man," Lorelai muttered.

Luke gave her her coffee and doughnut, and she left. Jess came down and looked around. "Isn't Rory here?"

"No. Lorelai came in by herself," Luke said.

"I'm going out."

"Fine. But you're helping later this afternoon, so you better come back."

"Yeah, yeah," Jess said, already out the door.

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Rory was heading towards the diner when Dean came up to her in the street. Rory sighed. "Look, Dean – "

"Rory, I know I've been stupid, okay? I just want to talk to you this one time."

"Fine," Rory relented.

"Come on, let's talk in here."

Dean led her to the gazebo, and they sat down. "Are you really happy with him?"

"Well……yes. Look, Dean, I don't want to hurt you, but I can't lie to you. I'm with Jess, and I'm staying with Jess. We are never going to get back together, and right now I don't even know if we can be friends."

Dean sighed. "I guess I just needed to hear you say it."

They were both silent for a moment. "But Rory? One more thing," Dean said all of the sudden, leaning towards her.

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Jess happened to be walking towards the gazebo when he saw Rory and Dean sitting in there. He stopped walking and scowled.

Then, unable to believe his eyes, Dean and Rory kissed.

Jess froze, then turned around, and walked away.

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When Dean leaned forward and kissed her, it took Rory completely by surprise. She froze, then realized what was happening and pulled away. "Dean!" she said, standing up.

"Nothing?" Dean asked.

"I told you I'm with Jess now!" Rory said angrily.

"I know," Dean said, putting his head in his hands. "I'm sorry. I just – I just needed to know for sure that we were over."

"Well, gee, did you get the message now? Don't talk to me, and don't tell anyone about this."

With that, Rory left.

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Jess scowled. He was standing outside the diner and Rory had taken her sweet time leaving the gazebo. She and Dean had been in there for awhile now – still kissing, probably. When he finally did see her leave, Jess knew he couldn't talk to her. He quickly headed in the direction away from Rory.

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Later that day, Rory came to the diner. "Hey Luke, have you seen Jess? I've been looking for him all day."

"No, I thought he was with you," Luke said, looking surprised. "He left to find you early this afternoon."

_Where could he be?_ Rory wondered.

Where, indeed.

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**_Author's Note:_ I'm back! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! And don't worry your pretty heads about Rory and Jess, they'll be okay in the end. I haven't written anything for this story for almost a year, so hopefully it all flows okay. Oh, and I love Rory and Logan together and totally support them with where the show is now, but I think that Rory and Jess were made for each other, the writers just screwed up their relationship at the end of Season 3 because they wanted to get rid of Jess. So this story will definitely remain Literati!**

**_Coming in Chapter 16……………_The ramifications of what happened between Rory and Dean and what Jess saw will have to be dealt with – if Jess can be found. Whose side will everyone land on? And what about Luke? Will he be torn?**


	17. The Gilmore Girls and their Loverboys

**People Change******

**_By: Apolla_******

****

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).**

**_Pairings:_ Literati and Java Junkie. **

**_Setting: _This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.**

**_Don't Worry_: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.**

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The next morning, Rory went into the diner with her mother expecting to see Luke and Jess as they did every morning. She was a little worried that Jess hadn't called her at all yesterday, but she figured that Luke might have kept him busy at the diner or something. It's not like Jess _needed_ to call her every day. But still………

"Rory!" Luke exclaimed, coming up to her and Lorelai. "Have you talked to Jess?"

"No, I haven't seen him since I talked to you yesterday," Rory said.

"I haven't either," Luke said, sounding worried.

"Wait a minute. Are you telling me that Jess didn't come home last night?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, that's what I'm telling you. I haven't seen him since yesterday morning."

Lorelai glanced at Rory before speaking again. "Are you sure? Maybe he came home late last night, then left early this morning to go – "

"Jess doesn't leave early in the morning for anything. Ever," Luke interrupted.

"Well, yeah, but – he could have. Just this once."

"No, something's wrong. Maybe I should call the police."

Luke was pacing up and down, completely ignoring all the customers in the diner trying to get his attention to order their meals. Lorelai sighed. "Everybody out!" she yelled, shooing people towards the door. "The diner's closed. Get out. Come back tomorrow."

She closed the door behind the last person, ignoring the boos being showered upon her. Rory had sat down on a stool and hadn't said a word. "Luke, have you called Maggie?" Lorelai asked him.

Luke looked at Lorelai in surprise. "No. Why, do you think he – "

"I don't know, maybe."

"Good idea!" he said, hurrying to the phone.

As Luke made the call, Lorelai sat down next to Rory. "Rory, are you _sure_ no one saw?"

After failing to find Jess yesterday afternoon, Rory had gone home and waited for her mother. Once Lorelai had come home, Rory had told her all about the incident with Dean in the gazebo.

At Lorelai's question, Rory turned worried blue eyes at her mother. "I didn't think anyone saw, but I guess I'm not one hundred percent sure. Still, if someone saw, wouldn't we have heard about it by now?"

"Unless Jess is the only one who saw."

"Ugh, not happening!" Rory moaned. "If he saw……"

She didn't finish her sentence – she couldn't. She didn't want to think about what would happen if Jess had seen Rory and Dean kiss.

"She hasn't seen or heard from him," Luke said, coming back over to Rory and Lorelai.

Lorelai glanced at Rory again. "Luke, there's something you should know," she began.

Rory looked up, but she didn't say anything. Jess was in Luke's care; Luke deserved to know why he might have run off all of the sudden. "What?" Luke asked. "Do you know where Jess is?"

"No. But we might know why he's gone."

Lorelai hesitated, playing with her hair. "Come on, tell me," Luke said.

"Okay. Yesterday, Dean kissed Rory. And……we didn't think anyone saw, but now we're thinking that maybe Jess did."

Luke sat down heavily. "Oh."

"Luke, I'm sorry," Rory burst out. "Dean wanted to talk, and we went to the gazebo to talk privately, and then he just kissed me! I wasn't expecting it, it just happened, and I told him not to talk to me and left. I didn't think anyone saw, but I haven't seen Jess since before it happened, and……I'm sorry!"

Lorelai put her arm around Rory comfortingly. "It's not your fault," Luke said wearily. "It's Jess jumping to conclusions, and Dean……it's not your fault," he repeated.

"Luke, what do you want us to do?" Lorelai asked quietly.

"Just go home. He might come back, and I'll talk to him."

Rory got up but didn't say anything. Lorelai followed suit, her arm still around her daughter. "We'll let you know if we hear anything," she said.

"Thanks," Luke said, managing a smile in Lorelai's direction.

He just hoped that Jess really would come back and give Luke a chance to explain what had happened to him. Now that he had heard what had happened with Rory and Dean, he was positive that was why Jess had disappeared. _And God only knows what he's doing right now_, Luke thought.

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That night, Lorelai checked on Rory before sneaking out. Rory was sleeping, and Stars Hollow was quiet.

She was going to find Jess. Knowing him as she did, and not biased as Rory and Luke were, Lorelai felt that she might have a better chance. She could at least try.

First stop……the bars in Hartford.

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Jess was glad he had kept his fake ID. He'd took a bus to Hartford, then wandered from bar to bar for……well, he didn't know how long it had been, but he was pretty sure he had started yesterday. It seemed like it had been nighttime twice now.

_A bar is a great place_, Jess thought. _You can smoke, you can drink, and no one bothers you. How could it get any better?_

_ It would be better if you were sober and with Rory_, an annoying voice in the back of his head said.

"Shut up!" Jess said, downing another shot.

"Excuse me?" the man sitting two seats down from Jess asked.

"I'm not talkin' to you," Jess said, slurring his words together.

The man gave him a look of disdain. Jess could only imagine what he looked like – and what he smelled like – after smoking, drinking, and not showering for a day or two now. But why the hell should he care? He didn't.

Every time he thought of Rory, he would drink more to numb the pain. Still, it seemed like no matter how much he drank, he couldn't get the image of her and Dean kissing out of his mind. _I must not be drunk enough_.

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After already trying four bars, Lorelai was thinking that maybe she wasn't so smart after all. _Okay, this is the last one, and then I'm heading home_, she told herself.

Lorelai walked in and saw that barely anyone was inside. There was a couple at a table in a dark corner, and two people at the bar. She headed over to the bar and then she saw – one of the guys was Jess.

Lorelai sat down next to him and didn't say anything for a minute. He reeked of alcohol and smoke. "Jess," Lorelai said, touching his arm.

Jess automatically pulled his arm away, avoiding the physical contact, and almost fell off of his stool. He turned his head to the right and saw Lorelai sitting next to him. "Lorelai?" he asked, thinking he had to be dreaming.

"Yeah. Come on, Jess, let's get you home."

"Get the fuck away from me," Jess growled.

Lorelai was determined to get Jess home and ignore anything he said to her. "I will. As soon as you go home. Come on."

Jess didn't move. "Fine. We'll do it my way. Bartender?" Lorelai called to the man who was eyeing her and Jess warily. "This boy is under twenty-one. Unless you want me to call the cops on you, I suggest you help me get him into my car."

"I checked his ID," the bartender said.

"It was probably a fake. I know that he's eighteen and he's still in high school. Just help me get him to my car."

"Fine, lady."

Between the two of them, Jess got into the car. He didn't – or couldn't – put up much a fight, and he sat there silently as Lorelai drove him to Luke's. Lorelai, for once, didn't say a word. She parked in front of Luke's, who still had his light on, and knocked on the door.

"Lorelai!" Luke said, looking surprised.

"I found Jess. He's in the car," Lorelai said.

Luke looked happy, nervous, and angry at the same time as he followed Lorelai to her Jeep. Jess was just sitting there, and Lorelai opened the door on his side. It was then that Luke caught a whiff of him. "Oh geez," he said. "Where'd you find him?"

"In Hartford."

"What, at a bar?"

"Um……why don't you just help him inside?" Lorelai said, avoiding Luke's question.

Luke got his answer then, and he sighed, then helped Jess walk to the diner. Lorelai opened the door for them, and Luke turned around. "Thanks," he said.

"No problem. You two take care."

Luke looked down at Jess, a slight frown on his face. "Yeah. We'll try."

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The next morning, Lorelai purposely let Rory oversleep. Rory woke up in a hurry and barely had time to get dressed before she had to leave. "Mom, maybe I'll just – "

"Rory, there's not any time," Lorelai said, knowing her daughter wanted to go to Luke's and check on Jess.

Lorelai had to tell Rory that Jess was safely back at Luke's, but she had thus far been able to avoid telling her how he had gotten there and what shape he was in.

Rory chewed on her lip nervously. "How is he?" she asked her mother.

"He'll be okay."

Lorelai put her arm around her daughter. "Come on, I'll drive you to the bus stop."

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Late that morning, after feeding the breakfast rush, Luke went upstairs and saw Jess was still sleeping. He shook his awake. "Jess, wake up," Luke said.

Jess put a hand to his head. "Quit shouting."

Luke rolled his eyes. "I'm not shouting. You're hung-over."

Jess didn't say anything. "Come on, get in the shower and I'll give you some aspirin."

Jess didn't move, but Luke couldn't stand the smell. He pulled Jess into the bathroom, started the shower, and told him if he weren't done in fifteen minutes Luke was going to come in there.

Jess didn't say anything.

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After Jess had showered, changed, and Luke had given him some aspirin, he laid back down on his bed. He didn't read, he didn't listen to music, he just laid there, thankful that Luke had gone back downstairs and hadn't asked him any questions. The fact that it had been Lorelai that had brought him home made Jess sure that both Luke and Lorelai knew what had happened.

_I saw Rory and Dean kissing. Rory and Dean. Kissing. Rory. My girlfriend Rory. Kissing Dean, the guy I hate and her ex-boyfriend._

_ But it looked like Dean kissed her,_ a voice in his head piped up. _She didn't initiate anything._

_ But she didn't pull away, either,_ he reminded himself.

He rubbed his chest. His heart literally hurt. _She said she loved me. I told her that I loved her. She knows I've never said that to anyone. Why would she do this to me? Why in a public place? It's like she wanted me to see. Why didn't she just break up with me? It would hurt, but it couldn't hurt as much as me seeing her and Dean kissing._

_ Why doesn't she love me?_

Jess smacked his bed angrily. He got up and went over to where his jacket was lying on the floor, then reached into the pocket for his pack of cigarettes. It wasn't there. He searched all the pockets, but the cigarettes were gone. He stormed over to the door, opened it, and yelled, "God damn it, Luke, where the hell are my cigarettes?" down the stairs.

Luke appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "You're not smoking in here," he said.

"Fine, give them to me and I'll go somewhere else."

"No. And don't even think about buying more, I took the money out of your drawer. No smoking, Jess."

Jess slammed the door without saying a word. He opened the refrigerator, looking for some of Luke's beer, and saw that that was all gone as well. _God damn Luke! What the hell is he trying to pull?_

Jess laid back down on his bed, closed his eyes, and tried to stop thinking about everything and go to sleep.

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That day at school, Rory couldn't pay attention in class at all. Finally, during lunch, Paris asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing," Rory said unconvincingly.

"Oh, please. You've been acting like Mopey, the eighth dwarf, for the entire day. Just spit it out. What's the problem?" Paris asked.

"Nothing. Just……Jess."

"Loverboy? What'd he do, forget to read you a poem on your anniversary of the first time you kissed or something?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "No, Paris. And I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh come on, Rory, quit playing the martyr here."

"Paris! I said I don't want to talk about it!" Rory said angrily, then got up and walked away, leaving Paris to stare after her.

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After school that day Rory went straight to the diner. "Luke, is Jess upstairs?" she asked immediately upon entering.

"Yeah."

Rory paused. "Um, how is he?"

"He's upset. I hope you can make it better."

"Yeah, me too."

Luke gave her a small smile, and Rory went upstairs. She knocked lightly on the door, then entered the room to find Jess lying on his bed. "Go away, Luke," he said.

"Jess, it's me," Rory said softly.

Jess sat straight up. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, Luke told me you were up here, and – "

"Oh, of course he did," Jess said angrily.

Jess still hadn't made eye contact with Rory. "Jess, I need to talk to you. I'm guessing that you saw – "

"Don't say it," Jess said, cutting in.

Rory walked closer to him. "I didn't know he was going to do that, Jess. I'm sorry," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Jess jerked away from her and stood up facing her. He finally looked at her, and Rory was sad to see his eyes were bloodshot and had dark circles underneath them. "Don't touch me," he snapped.

"Jess, don't be like this," she said. "I love – "

"Shut up!" he yelled. "Shut up! No, you don't. Don't ever say that to me again. Don't ever talk to me again. I never want to see you again. Never."

"Jess, you don't mean that," Rory said, tears coming to her eyes.

"Yes, I do," he said coldly.

"That's not fair!" she burst out. "This isn't my fault! I didn't do anything!"

"You're right," Jess agreed. "You didn't do anything. He kissed you, and you sat there and didn't push him away."

"Jess – "

"But I don't know why I'm surprised," Jess continued, his voice mocking. "How does that saying go? 'Once a cheater, always a cheater'? And didn't you kiss me when you were still with him? I should have expected something like this."

Rory froze. "That is a low blow," she said furiously. "You know that I – "

"I don't know anything about you," he said. "And I don't care about you, either. Lane was right, Rory. I just said that stuff to try and get in your pants. Now get out."

Rory just stood there staring at him, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Jess – "

"GET OUT!" he yelled.

He went over and opened the door, staring at the floor until she left. When she did, he slammed it behind her.

Jess sat down on his bed, head in his hands, and felt tears come to his eyes. He refused to let them fall. Once he regained control of himself, he started packing his stuff. Luke came up and looked at him. "What happened?" he asked.

Jess didn't say anything and continued packing his stuff, then zipped up his bag. "What are you doing?"

Jess headed towards the door, then stopped right in front of Luke. "You told her I was up here," Jess said. "You just let her come up. Would it have killed you to be on my side just this once?"

With that, Jess went down the stairs. Luke followed. "Jess, where are you going?" he called.

"Anywhere but here," he yelled over his shoulder.

He got into his car and drove away.

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Rory walked home slowly, crying all the way there. _What am I going to do?_ She asked herself. _He's so angry. _

Rory couldn't let herself believe that he'd meant all those things that he had said. _He doesn't think I'm a cheater_, she told herself. _He meant it when he said he loved me. Lane wasn't right about that. He's just hurt. Oh, God, I hurt him so badly._

_ He must not have watched long enough to see me pull away from Dean or hear me tell Dean never to talk to me again. If only he knew that! I tried to tell him, but he's so angry. And it's all my fault. What am I going to do?_

Rory let herself into her house, then picked up the phone and called her mother. "Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking. How may I help you?"

"Mom, it's me," Rory said, trying to hold back her tears. "Can you come home?"

"Of course I can. What's the matter?"

"I just talked with Jess."

"I'll be right there."

Rory hung up the phone and sat down on the couch. She wouldn't let herself believe that Jess was gone forever.

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Lorelai rushed home to find Rory sitting on the couch, staring off into space. There were tearstains on her cheeks, although she didn't appear to be crying right now. "Oh, honey, are you okay?" Lorelai asked, coming over and sitting down next to Rory.

She put her arms around her daughter and hugged her. "Mom, it was horrible," Rory said, Lorelai's arm around her shoulder. "He said all these terrible things. He's so angry and hurt. I don't know how to make it better."

"Give him some time to cool off before talking to him," Lorelai suggested. "He'll be okay. He just needs some time."

They sat in silence for a while before Rory, sniffling, spoke. "Mom, do you know where Jess was? How did Luke find him?"

Lorelai hesitated. "Uh……"

"Mom, tell me."

"I found him."

"You did?" Rory asked, looking surprised.

"Yes. I went out last night after you were asleep, then brought him to Luke's."

"Where was he?"

"In Hartford," Lorelai said vaguely.

"Just tell me, Mom."

"I found him in a bar in Hartford."

"Oh."

Rory didn't say anything for a moment, then asked, "How did you know he'd be there?"

"Well, it was the fifth bar I searched, actually."

"How did you know he would be in a bar? I never would have thought of that."

"I know," Lorelai said, stroking Rory's hair. "Luke wouldn't have, either. You guys are too close to Jess and wouldn't want to think of him going off to some bar. But I knew he would be upset, and I just lucked out there, I guess."

"Yeah. I guess so."

The two of them sat in silence for the rest of the night.

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The next morning, Lorelai was greeted at the inn by Sookie. "Good morning!" she said, seeming even more perky than usual.

"Morning," Lorelai replied glumly.

"Uh-oh. What's the matter?"

"Oh, it's Rory," Lorelai said, taking off her coat and gathering the stack of messages at the front desk. "She and Jess are having major problems, and she's upset."

"Well, you always said that kid was bad news," Sookie pointed out.

"I don't really think he is anymore," Lorelai said thoughtfully. "This thing with him and Rory, it's not his fault or her fault. It just happened, and now they're both hurt."

Sookie nodded sympathetically. "Well, enough gloom for the morning," Lorelai said. "What's on the menu for today?"

"Actually, I have some news," Sookie said, smiling brightly.

"Okay," Lorelai said. "Good news, I'm assuming, since I'm going blind here."

"Yes. I'm pregnant! Jackson and I are having a baby!"

"Oh my gosh, Sookie!" Lorelai said, giving her a hug. "That is so amazing! Oh! Congratulations!"

Both of them started crying a little bit. "I can't believe you're having a baby!" Lorelai said.

"I know! I can't either!" Sookie said, sniffing back tears.

"This calls for a celebration. Michel!" Lorelai called. "Get us some non-alcoholic champagne!"

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After school that day, Lane came over to Rory's house. "So, what happened? You sounded upset on the phone."

"Lane, was Jess at school today?"

"No, I haven't seen him. Why?"

"We got into a huge fight. He broke up with me. He said he never wants to see me again, and – "

"Whoa, slow down!" Lane said, holding up a hand. "Last I heard, you two were happy and in love. What happened?"

"Dean kissed me."

"Oh. Wow. When did this happen?"

"A few days ago. He said he wanted to talk, and we went to the gazebo, and he kissed me. And then I got up and said I didn't want him to talk to me anymore."

"Okay. So what's the problem? You didn't tell Jess, did you?"

"No. Apparently he saw for himself."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes. And he didn't see me push Dean away, either, he only saw us kissing."

"Oh no," Lane repeated, sitting down.

"Wait, it gets worse. Jess disappears and no one knows where he is, and my mom finds him in a bar in Hartford. Apparently he's started drinking _and_ smoking again. So I went to the diner to talk to him, and he's so angry, Lane."

"What did he say?"

"He said you were right and that he didn't really love me, he only said it so I would sleep with him. _And_ he said that he should have expected this from me, because I kissed him when I was with Dean, and apparently once a cheater, always a cheater."

"No, he really said that?"

"Yes. Every word."

"Oh, Rory."

Lane gave her a hug. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know what I can do. He said he never wants to see me again, but Lane………I still love him. I can't just give up."

"Just give him time to cool off," Lane suggested.

"That's what my mom said."

The girls sat in silence for a moment. "This is so Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall."

"You think?"

"Oh yeah."

"But things didn't end well for them," Rory pointed out.

"Oh. Right. Never mind then."

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After Jess had stormed out of Luke's, he had drove away and ended up in Hartford. Without really thinking about where he was going, he ended up at Maggie's house. He parked, then looked up at her house. Well, why not? He had nowhere else to go.

He got out and knocked on the door, bag in hand. A maid answered. "Yes?"

"I need to talk to Maggie."

The maid looked at him suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"Her grandson," Jess snapped.

Just then Maggie came up to the door. "Jess! What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course. Rosa, can you leave us, please?"

Rosa left, and Jess followed Maggie into the living room. "Sit. What's the matter? Does Luke know you're here? He called me a few days looking for you, you know."

"Yeah, I've seen him since then."

Maggie looked at Jess. He didn't look like he'd be doing well. "What's this about, Jess?" she asked softly.

"I need a place to stay."

"You can stay here, of course. But you need to tell Luke where you are."

"I'm not talking to him," Jess said bitterly.

"Why not?"

"Because he never takes my side. Ever. He'll always choose Rory and Lorelai over me, and I can't deal with it right now."

"Jess, what happened?" Maggie asked again.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Maggie looked at him consideringly, then agreed. "Okay. You don't have to tell me. But I'm calling Luke and telling him that you're here."

"Whatever."

Maggie tossed him his bag. "Go upstairs and pick out a room."

After Jess left, Maggie picked up the phone and called Luke. He answered on the first ring. "Jess?"

"No, Luke, it's Maggie."

"Maggie. Have you seen Jess?"

"He just showed up on my doorstep."

"Oh, thank God."

"Luke, what's going on?"

"He and Rory aren't doing very well, and I let Rory come in, and apparently I shouldn't have done that."

"Oh. I see."

Maggie paused. "Luke, I told him he could stay here, but that I was calling you to tell you where he was."

There was silence on the line for a minute. "Luke?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. That's fine."

"All right. You can call anytime you want."

"Yeah. Thanks, Maggie."

"Goodbye, Luke."

Maggie hung up the phone. Trouble with Rory? That explained a lot. Her grandson didn't look good at all.

Still, a part of Maggie was pleased that he had come to her.

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That night, after the diner was closed, Lorelai knocked on the door. Luke was cleaning up, but he went and opened it for her. "Hey," she said.

"Hey."

She looked around. "Is Jess upstairs?"

"Why, did you come to talk to him too?"

"No, I was just wondering."

Luke sighed. "No, he's not. He left after he and Rory argued."

"He left? Where?"

"He's at Maggie's."

Lorelai was behind the counter pouring herself coffee as Luke talked. "Oh."

"Yeah. She called and let me know."

"I'm sorry, Luke," Lorelai said.

"It's not your fault."

"Well, it is my daughter he's upset with."

"That's not why he left," Luke said.

Lorelai sat down, putting her coffee down. "It's not?"

Luke started wiping down the counter. "No. Rory came in, and I told her he was upstairs. After she left, I went up there and he said I never take his side. And then he left."

"Oh, Luke," Lorelai said, coming up to him.

She gave him a hug, then pulled back slightly to look at him. "That's not true. Trust me, I know. You do take Jess' side."

"Thanks, I think."

"Sure," Lorelai murmured.

Their faces were inches apart, and they were staring into each other's eyes. Suddenly, without thinking, Lorelai leaned forward and kissed Luke.

Just as suddenly, she pulled away from Luke, who had been so surprised he hadn't moved at all. "Oh. I'm sorry. I'll just be going. I – okay. I will go now," Lorelai said, rambling as she started walking towards the door.

_You kissed Luke! You kissed Luke! You kissed Luke!_ her mind screamed at her.

"Lorelai, wait," Luke said before she opened the door.

She stopped, and he went up to her. "Don't go."

He pulled her close to him and kissed her, and Lorelai wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

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**_Author's Note:_ Review! Especially all you Java Junkies out there, this has got to be good for you! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**_Coming in Chapter 17………_Will Lorelai and Luke become a couple? How is Jess doing? And who will Rory lash out at?**


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